(Shock)

Some jazzy joie de vivre, Texas swing style

If a name is an indicator of what to expect of a band, the Hot Club Of Cowtown’s is a clear advertisement of what they do. It combines a reference to violinist Stephan Grapelli and guitarist Django Reinhardt’s legendary ‘30s jazz outfit the Hot Club Of France, and ‘50s rural America. So this Texan trio walk a fine line between two supposedly different old schools, Western Swing and Parisian cool, and not only make it sound like a natural fit but also manage to freshen it up. Other than adding a drummer for the first time, this album, their first studio effort in seven years, doesn’t tamper too much with their patented sound, first paying homage to the king of Western Swing Bob Wills with a cover of Can’t Go On This Way, then easily bubbling through Gypsy jazz instrumentals like The Magic Violin. Other covers – Tom Waits’ The Long Way Home, Hoagy Carmichael’s Georgia and Gershwin’s Someone To Watch Over Me – show the breadth of their influences. But it’s originals like the goodtime jazz roll of If You Leave Me (sung by guitarist Whit Smith) and the more intimate feel of Reunion (sung by violinist Elana James, back from a stint with Bob Dylan’s band) that seal the abilities of this band. It’s a truly classy affair. No wonder they’re welcome at venues as diverse as the Grand Ol’ Opry to the UK’s Glastonbury Festival.           

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BILL HOLDSWORTH

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