"Music like a wild ride over the puszta, like meat roasting over a crackling fire in the middle of the woods. Homesickness, drama and jubilation." Jeroen de Valk

After a silence of more then four years the Hot Club de Frank has released a new CD, "Bella Ciao" and in these years much has happened: the line-up, the sound and the show have all changed.

The Hot Club de Frank has had many different instrumentations in its twenty year existence. Sometimes with or without drums, one or two rhythm guitars, acoustic guitar as lead and sometimes electric, with sax and violin. Now even the constant instrument of the orchestra, the rhythm guitar of Frank Meester has been replaced...Frank has changed his guitar for the acoustic bass.

This is very likely the band's final line-up because the Hot Club de Frank sounds better then ever on this new CD. Since releasing itself from the prison of the perpetual "boom-chick" of the rhythm guitar, many unexpected possibilities and rhythmic variations have emerged. Add to that the subtle sounds of the clicking on the keys of the saxophone, ticking on the resonance box of the bass or the guitar and even on the human body. Anything is possible. One musician starts with a riff and the rest of the band follows as they see fit. Bossa Nova rhythms suddenly change into grooves from the Balkans, or result in a stomping swing. New ways in Gypsy Jazz. But hey, is this still Gypsy Jazz?

Harold Berghuis (guitar)
Jelle van Tongeren (violin)
Wim Lammen (clarinet, saxophone)
Frank Meester (upright bass, vocals)