Hot Club of Cowtown refer to themselves as HCCT. That's probably because they believe in the old adage "less is more."
They learned to keep the mystery by watching Bob Dylan. They understand that you can dazzle with very little, but make sure whatever they're playing comes from the heart. Wishful Thinking is the title of their new album, and they are just coming off dual tours of Australia and the UK. They are also regulars on PBS' Prairie Home Companion.
Hot jazz & western swing is the HCCT moniker. We hear a lot of Bob Wills in their music. So did Bob Dylan---they toured (and survived) with Bob and Willie Nelson. Oh, and Elana brought her doggie on the Celebrity Coaches bus for the performance!
I like Otis Gibbs because he is earthy, he has concern for everyday people, and his photographs are gritty in black and white. He captures the past at the confluence of the future. There is lineage here that throws back to Woody, and Pete.
He is not afraid. And how eloquently he tells the story. Here is cut one from his latest release, Grandpa Walked a Picketline, a song-picture of "Caroline."
-Jessie
PS - Beans orders you to check out his website (travels & tribulations). It is rich with photography, travel and humor. The best!
Sarah Borges walks in the room and I hear snippets of a song, "She's a lady, wo wo wo." She has this sophisticated neo rockabilly style, this grace about her.
She brought The Broken Singles (Binky, Lyle, and Rob) who graced us on the bus on a very hectic pre-awards show Thursday afternoon. Since they were performing that night, at the Ryman, there was the whole getting ready thing that had to be squeezed in, though when Sarah came up, her hair was perfect...thanks Mr. Zevon.
At the Americana Honors and Awards they TOTALLY kicked ass, amped up and ready to party. For the intimate performance we bring you here, it was stripped down, yet ebullient, with harmonies and hand claps, and a song that came from the first album we got turned onto from Sarah, Silver City. Here is "On The Corner."
