The Hot Club of Cowtown warms a winter’s eve in style

    A musical whirlwind blew into Holyoke last Friday night, March 16, when the Austin-based trio, The Hot Club of Cowtown, swept the audience off their collective feet for a 90-minute thrill ride of western swing and hot jazz tunes. The swinging trio of Elana James on fiddle and vocals, Whit Smith on guitar and vocals, and Jake Erwin on bass and vocals, had the audience of 177 locals and out-of-towners clapping and toe-tappping along with the infectious old-time tunes.
    The concert included music from a wide variety of styles including the western swing hits of Bob Wills, the hot jazz styles of French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, and songs from Great American Songbook and Tin Pan Alley.
    Kicking off the concert with the classic fiddle tune, “Red Wing,” the trio had ample opportunities to display their virtuosic skills. On songs like “Ida Red,” and Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s signature tune, “Minor Swing,” fiddler James accompanied her impeccable playing with a huge smile and almost dance-like movements on stage.
 

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