The Twin Cities are flush with excellent swing musicians and the Twin Cities Hot Club is certainly up there with the cream of the crop.
I’m not an expert on “gypsy jazz” and am certainly not the genre’s biggest fan. That being said, I think you will really enjoy this CD. Dancers will find 6 of 10 of the songs suitable for swing dancing. You’ll recognize familiar tunes like Honeysuckle Rose, Minor Swing, Jersey Bounce and All of Me. All of these are quite danceable. In addition, lesser known songs, Dark Eyes and Artillerie Lourde also will get you out on the dance floor. These songs range from 139 to 206 beats per minute.
The other songs include the waltz, Butterfly and a latin tune, Bossa Dorado which allow you to dance those other dances for a spell. The rest are nice ballads suitable for slow dancing or listening to the excellent musicianship from the band.
This popular Twin Cities band rivals any band from this genre, whether from gay Paris to Los Angeles. They have definitely honed their skills and demonstrate as much on this CD. If Django and Stephane are your heros, you’ll be very pleased when you buy this CD. If you are like me and listen to this CD more as an occasional change from more traditional big band swing, you couldn’t pick a better band to show off this style of music. The violin’s melodies dance over the rhythm of the guitars and bass creating a pleasing sound for both listeners and dancers alike.
So, pick up a copy and take a listen. You’ll be glad you did.Bottom Line: To buy or not to buy….. BUY!
