Pearl Django is a regular favorite at the Northwest Folklife Festival and other events around Washington's Puget Sound. The Seattle-based quartet plays acoustic swing jazz a la Django Reinhardt and the Hot Quintet of Paris circa the 1930s. Under Paris Skies, the group's sixth release, is a great value at 16 tracks and 52 minutes of hot swingin' tunes. The band is Neil Andersson on acoustic guitar, Michael Gray on violin, Dudley Hill on the electric hollow-body guitar and Rick Leppanen on acoustic bass. The spirit of the group is egalitarian and supportive, with each member taking turns in the spotlight while the others create the driving rhythm and sweet harmonies of swing at its best.
Seven of the album's 16 tracks were written by one or more of the group's members, and all of these tunes fit easily with the cover tunes from earlier eras. While the band's touchstone may be the music made by various Reinhardt-Grappelli combos, they also incorporate other influences, chiefly Western swing. Andersson's style leans toward Django's but without the occasional furious, discordant attacks of the old Gypsy, while Hill, particularly on his tunes "Radio City Rhythm" and "New Metropolitan Swing," leans a little more toward the work of Western players like Charlie Christian, Chet Atkins and Jimmy Bryant. Andersson and Hill co-wrote two numbers, the driving opening track "Seaside Adventure" and the subtler "Blues for Venetia." Fiddler Gray contributed a couple of numbers that add some variety and color to this collection of tunes: "Plum Crumble" is a very peppy tune that showcases the fiddler's fine melodic sense, and "Zingarelli," one of four tracks that feature the nimble accordion playing of David Lange, has a decided gypsy feel.
Under Paris Skies features two Django Reinhardt tunes, including his signature, "Nuages," as well as the jazz and lounge standards "I've Found a New Baby," "My Blue Heaven," and "I'll See You in My Dreams," all with suitably uptempo pace and swinging rhythms.
The disc could perhaps use a little more variety in pace, with maybe a slow foxtrot or a waltz tossed in now and then. But otherwise, there's nothing to complain about when dancing Under Paris Skies. The production is pristine throughout, holding up to close listening with headphones.
If you're throwing a swing dance, hire Pearl Django. You can find booking information at the band's Web site. If you can't afford 'em, go to the same Web site and order a few of their CDs, then clear the dance floor and get ready to swing.
