Hot Club of San Francisco

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Hot Club of San Francisco
Paul Mehling, Leader of the Hot Club of San Francisco
Background information
OriginSan Francisco, California
GenresGypsy jazz
Years active1989–present
LabelsHot Club Records, Azica, Lost Wax, Panda Digital, Clarity Recordings, Reference Recordings
Members
  • Paul Mehling
  • Evan Price
  • Dexter Williams
  • Christophe Carington
  • Jordan Samuels
Websitehotclubsf.com

The Hot Club of San Francisco is an American gypsy jazz band.[1][2] Led by guitarist, songwriter, and arranger Paul 'Pazzo' Mehling, the group uses the instrumentation of violin, bass, and guitars from Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s Quintette du Hot Club de France and performs arrangements of gypsy jazz standards, pop songs, and original compositions by Mehling. The Hot Club of San Francisco includes violinist Evan Price, the vocals of various members, and a swing rhythm section.[3][4] In the book, Django Reinhardt and the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz, Michael Dregni refers to the Hot Club of San Francisco as "one of the first American gypsy jazz bands."[5]

Biography[edit]

Mehling was exposed to the music of Django Reinhardt music at a young age through his father's record collection.[6] As a teenager Mehling was inspired by seeing Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks,[7] who drew on the music of Django Reinhardt,[8] and by David Grisman’s Dawg Music, a blend of swing and bluegrass.[9] Early in his career Mehling performed with the Abalone Stompers, a New Orleans style traditional Dixieland jazz band, freelanced with the Santa Cruz Symphony, played with the Magnolia Jazz Band, and formed his first Gypsy jazz band, The Hot Club of Friends.[10][11] Mehling later traveled to Paris to further develop his gypsy jazz guitar technique and feel with Django-style guitarist Serge Krief.[12] Mehling has stated that Krief's emphasis on the importance of emotion, mystery, and romance in gypsy music had a lasting impact on his development as a musician.[12] In the late 1980s and early 1990s Mehling joined Dan Hicks' band, The Acoustic Warriors, appearing with them on the PBS show Austin City Limits.[13]

Works and recognition[edit]

Nationally broadcast performances of the HCSF include the Public Radio Exchange's WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour series,[14] and Stanford Libraries' Riverwalk Collection.[15] A story on NPR station KQED-FM on the Hot Club of San Francisco referred to Mehling as "one of the Godfathers of the Gypsy jazz revival".[16] The Hot Club of San Francisco has released 15 albums, six of which were released on Mehling's Hot Club Records label. The group was the first American band invited to perform at the Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois sur Seine, in 2000.[17][18] Mehling appeared in the 2005 film Jeremy Cohen and Friends Celebrate Joe Venuti,[19] and performed on the soundtrack of the 2014 film My Old Lady.[20]

Discography[edit]

Released Title Label Notes
1993 The Hot Club of San Francisco Clarity Recordings Includes Maria Muldaur, Barbara Dane, and other San Francisco Bay Area guest artists. The album features tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, and flute in addition to violin, guitars, and bass. Scott Yanow of Allmusic gave the album four stars out of five and called the album an "impressive debut."[21]
1994 QHCSF
1996 LIVE MCMV Hot Club Records
1997 Swing This Hot Club Records Includes arrangements of pop songs, classical pieces, modern jazz tunes, and original compositions by Mehling and three violinists on different tracks including Julian Smedley, Jenny Scheinman and Jeremy Cohen.[22]
1999 The Lady in Red Clarity Recordings
2000 Claire de Lune Hot Club Records
2002 Veronica Panda Digital
2004 Be That Way Panda Digital All original compositions by Mehling.
2005 Postcards from Gypsyland Lost Wax This album features tangos, waltzes, small duets and large orchestral ensembles and includes original compositions by Levy, Mehling, and Evan Price. Scott Yanow of AllMusic.com awarded the album 4 1/2 stars out of five.[23]
2007 Yerba Buena Bounce Reference Recordings Recorded at Fantasy studios in Berkeley, California. This album features David Grisman on three tracks and was awarded 4 1/2 stars out of five by Ken Dryden of AllMusic.[24]
2008 Bohemian Maestro: Django Reinhardt & the Impressionists Azica Records Features original compositions and arrangements and of pieces by Django Reinhardt and classical composers including Debussy, Poulenc, and Villa-Lobos.[25][26]
2009 Hot Club Cool Yule Azica Records Gypsy jazz holiday recording.[27][28]
2012 LIVE at Yoshi's San Francisco Azica Records Prominently features the voice of Isabelle Fontaine.[29]
2015 John Paul George & Django Hot Club Records Includes arrangements of Beatles songs performed in the style of Django Reindhart's Quintette of the Hot Club of Paris.[30]
2019 Hot Club 30 Years Hot Club Records Compilation album[31]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Alleman, Annie (March 28, 2016). "Hot Club of San Francisco brings jazz to the masses". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  2. ^ Hartman, Forrest. (October 15, 2003). "Hot Club of San Francisco: American Jazz with Ethnic Flair." Reno Gazette Journal. p37
  3. ^ Santella, Jim (March 17, 2005). "The Hot Club of San Francisco, Postcards from Gypsyland Review". All About Jazz. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  4. ^ Dryden, Ken (2012). "Live at Yoshi's Review". All Music. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  5. ^ Dregni, Michael; Antonietto, Alain; Legrand, Anne; Reinhardt, David (2006). Django Reinhardt and the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz. Chicago: Chicago Review Press - Fulcrum. p. 190. ISBN 193310810X.
  6. ^ Mopsick, Dan. "Interview with Gypsy Swing Guitarist Paul Mehling". Stanford Libraries' Riverwalk Jazz. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  7. ^ "Hot Club Brings a Special Show to Tempe". East Valley Tribune. March 15, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  8. ^ S, Claudia (July 31, 1988). "Dan Hicks' New Acoustic Licks". Washington Post. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  9. ^ Bartlett, Jean (November 30, 2010). "Skating into the Holidays with a Swing - Le Jazz Hot Plays Pacifica". Mercury News. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Luker, Kelly (March 14, 1996). "Rock and Mollusk Reunion". Good Times Santa Cruz. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  11. ^ Escabar, Mimi (November 5, 2010). "Community Concert Features a New Mix of Music". Mountain Democrat. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Bartlett, Jean (October 8, 2013). "Le Jazz Hot Brings Django Reinhardt's Gypsy Jazz to Pacifica". Mercury News. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  13. ^ Wildsmith, Steve (April 8, 2015). "Hot Club of San Francisco Promises Unforgettable Night at the Cinema". Daily Times. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  14. ^ "Celebration of Django Reinhardt". PRX. March 14, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  15. ^ "Django's Gypsy Swing with the Hot Club of San Francisco". KQED. 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  16. ^ "Hot Club of San Francisco". KQED. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  17. ^ Lavis, Tom (April 8, 2015). "Hot Club of San Francisco Coming to Arts Center". Tribune Democrat. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  18. ^ Bailay, Jean-Paul (2018). "Souvenirs Du Festival Django Reinhardt Samois-Sur-Seine 1968 - 2005". Editions Du Puits Fleuri. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  19. ^ "Jeremy Cohen and Friends Celebrate Joe Venuti 100 Years". Library of Congress. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  20. ^ "My Old Lady". IMDB. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  21. ^ Yanow, Scott (1993). "Review of the Hot Club of San Francisco". All Music. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  22. ^ Dryden, Ken. "Review of the Swing This". All Music. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  23. ^ Yanow, Scott. "Review of the Postcards from Gypsyland". All Music. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  24. ^ Dryden, Ken. "Review of Yerba Buena Bounce". All Music. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  25. ^ Wiegand, David. "Review of Yerba Buena Bounce". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  26. ^ Schlesinger, Judith. "Review of Bohemian Maestro". All About Jazz. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  27. ^ Schlesinger, Judith. "Review of Hot Club Cool Yule". All About Jazz. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  28. ^ Dryden, Ken. "Review of Hot Club Cool Yule". All Music. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  29. ^ Dryden, Ken. "Review of Live at Yoshi's San Francisco". All Music. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  30. ^ Lohr, Matt. "Review of John Paul and Django". Jazz Times. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  31. ^ Harris, George. "Review of Hot Club 30 Years". Jazz Weekly. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
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