The Hot Club of San Francisco - Hot Club of SF 30 Years (CD)

A 30 Year compilation of the best from America's longest-running and most amazing gypsy jazz band, led by internationally acclaimed guitarist/songwriter/producer/poet Paul Pazzo Mehling. Featuring 2-time Grammy Awarding winning violinist Evan Price and a host of other incredible musicians. A collection highlighting the breadth and depth of this venerable national treasure ensemble. A startlingly diverse program, "30 Years" captures the band's restlessly creative evolution with Hot Club arrangements of Thelonious Monk ("Round Midnight") and French Impressionism ("Claire de Lune"), Brazilian roots music ("Choros") and the Beatles ("Because"). Unmistakably inspired by the iconic Quintet of the Hot Club of France, the HCSF's book is unbounded by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli's repertoire and rhythmic palette. "People think of Gypsy jazz and think swing, but when you look closely there's not a lot of swing on this album," Mehling says. "We specialize in the unexpected."