Accomplished and versatile musicians, Hot Club of San Francisco (HCSF) celebrates the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s pioneering Quintette du Hot Club de France, with style and panache. HCSF borrows the instrumentation of violin, bass, and guitars from the original Hot Club, while breathing new life into the music, with innovative arrangements of classic tunes and original compositions from the group’s superb lead guitarist, Paul Mehling. The group never fails to surprise and delight, featuring the amazing violin of two-time GRAMMY Award-winner Evan Price, the velvet vocals of Isabelle Fontaine and a swinging rhythm section. To hear the ensemble live, or on any of its 14 albums, is to be carried back to the small, smoky jazz clubs of 1930s Paris, and the refined lounge of the famous Hotel Ritz. Often called gypsy jazz, the music of The Hot Club of San Francisco has entranced audiences around the globe for 30 years. Acoustic Guitar magazine has hailed the group’s playing as “intricate, scorching and often brilliant.” With frequent national and international tours—from Iceland to Lincoln Center and the Monterey Jazz Festival—HCSF keeps this historic music fresh and alive. For their Potsdam performance, America's longest running gypsy swing ensemble will focus its creative mojo on the music of The Beatles. John, Paul, George & Django explores the vast treasure trove of songs from the Fab Four’s songbook. Founder Paul Mehling (the guiding spirit of the group) said he was first inspired to pick up a guitar following the Beatles’ epic appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. In appreciation, HCSF’s program reimagines familiar tunes such as All My Lovin, The Fool On The Hill and Hey Jude, in the style of the legendary Django Reinhardt.

This performance has been made possible with funds from the McElheran endowment.