Sip on one of our specialty cocktails and soak in the sounds of 1930's Paris, France with one of the area's finest gypsy jazz & early swing bands - Hot Djang! Featuring Reed Simon, Eric Seddon, Kevin Richards, Brad Smedley, Bryan Thomas.
Hot Djang! is an acoustic jazz quintet featuring violin, clarinet, acoustic guitars and upright bass. Their inspiration comes from the style of jazz made popular in Paris during the 1930s known as “Gypsy Jazz.” In addition, they play jazz and swing standards from the American Songbook.
Reed Simon (violin) has worked with many of Cleveland’s top jazz musicians and national artists including guitarist Tony Mattolla, vibraphonist Gary Burton and as a special guest on a Duke Ellington program at Severance Hall.
Eric Seddon (clarinet) has performed with Grammy winners Doc Severinsen, The Moody Blues, the Emerson String Quartet, Steve Allen, and Mark O’Connor. His solos engage the history of jazz clarinet from New Orleans roots to subtle swing to modern complexity.
Kevin Richards (guitar) is highly regarded in the local roots music scene and has shared stages with Mac Martin, John Hammond, Jorma Kaukonen, Howard Armstrong, and local blues legend Robert Lockwood Jr.
Brad Smedley (guitar) is the heartbeat of the band. He has studied under several of the best jazz guitarists of this genre including Frank Vignola, Gonzolo Begara, and Robin Nolan.
Bryan Thomas (contrabass) has numerous performance credits including Terry Gibbs, Junior Mance, Vic Damone, Russell Malone and locally with The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, and Ernie Krivda.
Join us for a very special swingin’ evening at Northeast Ohio’s modern day speakeasy as we bring the sounds of 1930’s France to BLU – get your tickets today!