CD Review: Hot Club Of Detroit (Mack Avenue, 2006)

by Rick Landers.

Hot Club of Detroit, the group's self-titled debut CD (Mack Avenue Records, 2006), draws us back to the ‘30s to one of those old smoke-filled bistros, just off the Champs Elysées, where elegantly clad jazz masters soaked their patrons with sweet gypsy melodies. Featuring some poignant Django licks by lead guitarist Evan Perri and chop rhythms - la pompe manouche - from the hands of guitarists Colton Weatherston and Paul Brady, Hot Club reflects an admiration and love of jazz, the “Great Invention.” Clarinetist Dave Bennett adds some spunk, alongside button accordionist Julien Labro who favors the tunes with a push and a squeeze.

Out of the block, HCD treats us to some of the “old stuff,” with Django Rheinhardt’s, “Belleville,” running on all cylinders. Bennett’s muse is featured with his clarinet in play and rhythm guitarists pushing the tune forward. Perri enters to give us a glimpse of his guitar skills before Labro bebops around playfully.

Joseph Columbo’s “Passion” hustles along with swaying accordion and the articulate lead of Perri, before clarinetist, Bennett, swings into “Honeysuckle Rose” that’s more spicey than sweet. Hot Club is tight and the “night” is still young, leaving us some room for the group to loosen up and move into more romantic tunes that sparkle in slow motion.

"Leila," a Wes Montgomery’s ‘50s groove classic, saunters along smoothly offering up some charming swing from clarinetist, Dave Bennett. But, the Hot Club seems to have a bias for those driving tunes that bounce along rocky roads and shift into gear again with, “Stomping at Decca,” another quick-step swing machine, written by Django, and nicely executed.

Time to take a break after that one, so “Nuages” rolls along like a sky full of clouds, moving in slow rhythm. Hot Club holds on to Django’s tune twice as long as he did, running it beyond a six-minute miler and holding on until their last breath.

“Swing One” clicks along smartly, expressing Evan Perri’s guitar style and composing skills in this one he can lay claim to, as his own little “jazz-terpiece.” The guy’s got licks…

The group grabbed "Aurore," a 1993 tune scored by contemporary Belgium guitarist, Fapy Lafertin, to butter up the platter with some Latin samba, followed by "How Insensitive" that's filled with Perri's sassy guitar licks and the pitchy bellows of the button accordian play of Labro.

"Tears" runs in short step intervals that lead to some sweet twists and turns of guitar. It's the closest Hot Club of Detroit comes to fusing some blues to the mix on their self-title album, and it doesn't take much imagination to hear hints of "St. James Infirmary."

A favorite soundtrack, "Godfather Theme," is played nice and evenly, until everything's snapped into place by some quick-witted string work by Perri and the group's thumpin' guitar rhythm section.

"Troublant Bolero" reels things back to a subtle warm tapestry of Latino rhythm, a punchy lead by Perri and a backdrop of sweet romantic charm rendered by Labro's accordian. Enter some groove clarinet and all the pieces of Hot Club pull the seams tight and whole, on this little wonder of a tune.

"Anouman" is another nod to master Django Rheinhardt and the "bonjour" track of the Hot Club of Detroit's 2006 self-titled CD. This was one of Django's last compositions and it languishes along with a quietude that drifts straight ahead, until the breathless piece snuffs out in an abrupt, yet magical, fade.

Hot Club of Detroit delivers some great traditional gypsy chops and an album worth grabbing or downloading, for those who love the style and others who want an introduction to gypsy jazz from the winner's of the 2006 Detroit Music Award for Outstanding Traditional Jazz Group.

Title: Hot Club of Detroit
Artist: Hot Club of Detroit
Release Date: August 1, 2006
Label: Mack Avenue

Tracks

1. Belleville
2. Passion
3. Honeysuckle Rose
4. Leila
5. Stompin' At Decca
6. Nuages
7. Swing One
8. Aurore
9. How Insensitive
10. Tears
11. Godfather Theme
12. Troublant Bolero
13. Anouman

Related Links
Hot Club of Detroit
The Day I Met Django

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