An Unfortunate Twist at Tanglewood
Escaping the rain and chill on June 16 in anticipation of a concert of hot jazz by the New York-based Hot Sardines, your reviewer, who’s performed and studied classic jazz for decades, brought optimism and a strong sense of support to an ensemble of young performers engaged in its contemporary revitalization. (Full disclosure: my most recent recording is entitled Contemporary Classic Jazz Live.)
The Hot Sardines
On their website, the Hot Sardines assert their intentions:
“Fueled by the belief that classic jazz feeds the heart and soul, the Hot Sardines are on a mission to make old sounds new again and prove that joyful music can bring people together in a disconnected world.”
On the Facebook page to promote their new recording, French Fries + Champagne, they list as their “Band Interests”: “Drinking, spit-shining our taps, mending our top hats, postmodernism,”
As well as their “Genre”:“New-old jazz / liquor-drinking music”
Noting what they are “About:” “LIQUOR-DRINKING JAZZ” [sic]
And their “Influences:” “Fats Waller, Prince, Jelly Roll Morton, Ray Charles, Mildred Bailey, Louis Armstrong and his Hot Fives [sic], Bix Biederbecke [sic], James Brown, Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Alberta Hunter, Georgia White, Sippie Wallace, LaVern Baker, Sam Cooke…”
The Band
The members of the evening’s ensemb
