Search - Hot Club of San Francisco :: Veronica

The Boston Globe sez:

01/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"HOT CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO-'VERONICA"
The hands of time are turned back to the Parisian jazz clubs of the 1930s by the Hot Club of San Francisco. Led by former Dan Hicks guitarist and songwriter Paul Mehling, the Bay Area quintet builds on the fast, precisely picked guitar/violin tradition set by late French guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli. With their seventh album, "Veronica," Mehling and cohorts show their mastery of the genre. Rather than simply interpreting songs of the past, the band captures the era through Mehling's original tunes. While the accent is on lightning-fast melodies and unrelenting rhythms, especially during the turbo-charged "Swing '53," "Swing This," and "Yerba Buena Bounce," the mood is shifted during the Latin-flavored "Ersatz Samba" and the heartwarming "A Little Waltz for Misha." Guitarists Dave Ricketts and Michael Groh provide a heavily chorded, pendulum-like foundation for the broad strokes of violinist Evan Price and the virtuosic picking of Mehling. Although their previous albums have relied on guest vocalists, the intricate playing on "Veronica" shows that the musicians of the Hot Club Of San Francisco are strong enough to stand alone.
Author(s): CRAIG HARRIS Date: January 10, 2003 Page: D16 Section: Living"

Acoustic Guitar Magazine sez:

01/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Hot Club of San Francisco's superb new CD of all-original Gypsy Swing tunes proves they do write 'em like they used to. Veronica offers ten of leader/guitarist Paul Mehling's top Django-style compositions, including new recordings of old Mehling favorites like "Don't Panic" and "I'm Not Impressed" and the title track, as well as several impressive new tunes. The Hot Club of San Francisco's sound has matured enormously, stepping away from it's ealier frenetic approach and adopting lush, elegant arrangements where Mehling's lead guitar can playfully interact with Evan Prices' lyrical violin solos. (www.HCSF.com)(David McCarty for Acoustic Guitar Magazine April 2003)"