12 February 2024 We welcomed Mood Swing for the first time at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust Hub for a great evening of hot gypsy jazz and classic jazz tunes played in the style of the Paris Hot Club of France years. The band played a wide variety of guitar and violin-based jazz including many Stephane Grapelly and Django Reinhardt favourites from the interwar and post war years. It was a night of a incredibly inventive style of brilliant jazz seldom heard live nowadays played with great skill and enthusiasm, and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
The set opened with the classic Minor Swing, which is almost a standard ‘example’ piece for gypsy jazz and the whole evening was peppered with Reinhardt and Grapelly solo and Hot Club band numbers like Nuages, Lady Be Good, Djangology and Troubillant Bolero all with excellent solos that alternated between the musicians.
There were also some Grapelly and Barney Kessell favourites like Limehouse Blues featuring a lovely violin solo by Ann, and Cry Me a River. Classic standards like Jerome Kern’s Pick Yourself Up and Cole Porter’s 1953 evergreen I love Paris received the same strings based treatment and fitted seamlessly into the show, and another more recent gypsy style standard, the Dorada Schmitt’s signature tune Bossa Dorada was one of several tunes with a latin feel. There was another bossa nova (I think!) Corcovado and the 1942 Sammy Kaye standard There’ll Never Be Another You that Chris Montez had a latin (Samba-ish) hit in the 1960s. Fly Me To The Moon and All Of Me standards were icing on the cake and entranced us all.
There was a a rarity too with a London connection, a really rousing version of Stomping At Decca which Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli recorded with Quintet Of The Hot Club Of France in Decca’s London Studio on Jan 31st 1938 before the War. The night ended with the inevitable and unbeatable Sweet Georgia Brown. Thanks to Ann, Peter, Stefan and Mike for a great night, and we hope to see them again at Brentford.
Guitar, Vocals – Peter Mayor
Violin – Ann Mayor
Guitar – Stefan Moody
Double Bass – Mike Bennet
Next up is East of Meon on Monday 11 March, an excellent jazz band that will be giving us a Golden Oldies night with lots of early jazz and standards, and a bit of latin and Great American Songbook mixed in. We intended to book them in a future slot but they have very kindly offered to play in March and fill in for a last minute cancellation so please do all come and bring your friends and give them a great GP Jazz Club welcome. It will be a good night guaranteed!
Please join us. £10 cash on the door, bring your own food and alcohol drinks if you wish, we have zero alcohol beers and snacks for sale (still waiting for licence). Tea, Coffee, Lemonade, squash and water free, plates glasses and ice on request.
Griffin Park Jazz Club 