Mike Harvey's Hot Club - Mike Harvey's Hot Club (2018)

Personnel:
Mike Harvey: Violin
Mark Weliky: Guitar
Nathan Lambertson: Bass
Mike Harvey's Hot Club employs the acoustic string instrumentation inspired by the legendary Quintette de Hot Club du France of the 1930s, and moves it into today's context, drawing repertoire and a playing style not only from the classic gypsy jazz sound, but from many places, both past and present. While a show strictly depicting only the Django Reinhardt/ Stephane Grappelli hot swing repertoire is something very much in this group's bag, they choose to push it forward with original compositions and arrangements of more modern tunes, while sprinkling the classic repertoire into their set, to pay homage, stay grounded, and keep happy those patrons who came out to see a Django band!
Mike Harvey's Hot Club performs all of this with the virtuosity and expressiveness of seasoned jazz musicians who work full-time on the New Orleans scene. From wine bars to society functions to concert halls, their sound is always right at home.
Mike Harvey's Hot Club is the progressive evolution of the sound Mike, Mark and Nathan developed previously with The Courtyard Kings, the now retired band that Mike led from 2005-2017. The Courtyard Kings released two albums, performed at the 2012 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and did over 200 gigs per year at their peak. They held down Thursday nights at Bacchanal Wine from 2009-2017 until Mike decided to move forward under a new name, with changes in musical direction. Mike Harvey's Hot Club currently occupies Thursday nights at Bacchanal Wine, along with other performances in New Orleans and beyond.