The name Hot Cafe may be familiar to Wellingtonians around in the 80s as the original band was very active on the jazz scene being one of the only groups playing gypsy jazz. After 20 years of the original band breaking up the original violinist Nik Brown decided to reform the band with the best local players he could find in the style. Joining forces with acoustic guitarists Leigh Jackson and Nick Granville and double bass player George Packard Hot Cafe was reborn. Nik Browns passionate violin playing combined with the hot gypsy rhythms and soaring solos of the guitars makes for a passionate exciting blend of jazz paying hommage to Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappeli in the style the Hot Club of France. Leigh Jackson and Nick Granville are very well known guitarists on the jazz scene wellington for their work with Nouveau Manouche and various other mainstream projects. Bass player George Packard is the foundation for the band and has been involved as an acoustic bass player with countless wellington groups over a twenty year period. All in all this is one of the finest groups around at the moment playing its part in the Gypsy Jazz revival, dont miss them.
