Hot Club of Hawthorne - Laurelthirst Public House, Portland OR - September 18, 2017

Hot Club of Hawthorne: [Portland, OR] ReluctantCuban knows how to pick spots. The bar was overtly charming, red lights, quirky décor, giant tree-plants. There’s all kind of “Laurel”- places in Portland – I have trouble keeping them straight… I think this is a stand-alone. Packed with families – kids dancing with abandon, lots of single parents... aw… just clicked. And gypsy jazz! Which I claim to love but was completely stumped when ReluctantCuban asked me to define the genre…. Johnny Depp played it in Chocolat? Django Reinhardt is the famous one? The first youtube I found by this band actually defined the genre and predominantly-string-instruments was exactly what ReluctantCuban had suggested as a first defining feature. Maybe some latin flair to the sound? I’m pretty sure the band was only doing covers but they did them well – they seem to be pretty well established on the Portland scene. Funky red hats but pretty tame show overall. I think four band members? Upright bass, guitar, fiddle, and mandolin? Oddly, there was a band named Hot Club of Cowtown in Austin – must be some classic reference. Oh, I think gypsy jazz is swing crossed with jazz!