Hot Club Swing
Hot Club Swing’s
unique style of French Gypsy Jazz is alive and well;
music
originating in the
1930s but still thriving in the 21st
century. The group
draws itsinfluences from an exotic palate of music from Latin America, Swing and
Eastern Europe, painting on a canvas that can be eloquently French, starkly
rustic or darkly and romantically gypsy.
The quintet features: Ben Calderazzo (leader/guitar); Phil Smurthwaite (violin);
Rob Gador (double bass); Jeremy Bourke (rhythm guitar), and Nadine Joy
(vocals) and is inspired by the original masters, Django Reinhardt and Stephane
Grappelli with influences from more modern groups such as Latcho Drom &
Bireli Lagrene.
Having played together for over 15 years, some notable performances include:
Port Fairy Music Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, the 53rd National Jazz
Convention, Boite World Music Café, inclusion on the charity CD Waterfront
Christmas for United Way and supporting headline act Hank Marvin at the 2015
Oz Manouche Festival of Gypsy Jazz.
Hot Club Swing's first two albums, Musique du Jour (2002) and Sacré Coeur
(2005), both gained regular airplay on local and national Australian radio, and
achieved notable sales figures, making both albums now out of print. In late 2013
Hot Club Swing released their third full-length studio album Douce Ambiance to
sell-out audiences and glowing reviews.
As a result of many showcase performances, the group has built a dedicated and
diverse audience, which is always eager to return to experience this captivating
music. The group has also been featured at various festivals, as well as concert
settings and private bookings, always bringing a certain joie de vivre!
“Hot Club Swing capture a warm, swinging all-string sound taking audience hearts
and imaginations captive….the band’s intuitive and empathic interplay is a feature of
their live set.” The Age.
