Hot Club d'Allemagne - Hot Club (2020)

Fourth album by the Leipzig Jazz Manouche specialists on CD in digipack on KICK THE FLAME. Founded in 2002 by guitarist KARL-HEINZ VOGEL and violinist THOMAS PROKEIN, the name of the quartet is a tribute to DJANGO REINHARDTs and STÉPHANE GRAPPELLI's legendary QUINTETTE DU HOT CLUB DE FRANCE. In 1934 one of the first European jazz formations, they created a completely new jazz style from the connection with traditional Sinti music, which hardly lost its appeal almost a hundred years later. After GUNTER PASLER (double bass) and FRANZISKUS SPARSBROD (rhythm guitar) joined the band three years ago, the self-titled and almost completely recorded work feels almost like a second debut album for the musicians. Of course, there are also several REINHARDT adaptations among the eleven pieces, but with further arrangements (MICHEL PETRUCCIANI) and four originals by KARL-HEINZ VOGEL, they blend into a very coherent overall picture that is less the sentimental review than the curious foresight Focus takes, with great understanding of melodies, dynamic range and humor. Wonderful and hot music from the traditional gipsy swing line!