Last week we made it down to the Red Rock coffeehouse to hear the Hot Club of Palo Alto. They were great! In their own words (lifted from their website):

Our music has direct origins back to the gypsy virtuosos who played the Parisian dance halls, bistros, and cafés of the 30’s and 40’s. It was referred to as “Hot Club” music, taken from the name of it most famous group, the Hot Club de France, who was prominent in the 30s and 40s. These Hot Club style musicians took American Dixieland Jazz and Swing, blended it with European Tangos and the dance hall Musettes of the day, creating a very pleasing musical concoction that became among the most popular music forms of its time. Just about every top-flight band in America rewrote and rearranged large sections of their repertoire to accommodate this Hot Club new style. This Hot Club music went on to greatly influence American Jazz, Pop, and Swing. Even Rock and Roll traces roots back to these rhythmic and melodic giants.

Oh yeah. Reinhardt, Grappelli. Hot Club music meant for listening (and some dancing by a cute couple who could still swing despite the silver in their hair) I dig this music. And I got to indulge in my greatest pleasure: sketching musicians while they play.

Hot Club Palo Alto plays at the Red Rock the last two Sundays in December, and at Cafe Zoë in Menlo Park the first two Sundays. Be there or be square.