Paul Mehling

The Hot Club Of San Francisco goes Fab! The venerable Gypsy Swing Combo interprets The Beatles on the gorgeous new album 'John, Paul, George & Django. It was only a matter of time before guitarist Paul Mehling focused his creative mojo on Lennon and McCartney's vast and enduring treasure trove of songs. The founder and guiding spirit of the Hot Club of San Francisco, America's longest running Gypsy swing ensemble, Mehling was first inspired to pick up a guitar when …

Due to its name and the fact that its core comprises a swing-based string band, listeners might be excused if they believe that the Hot Club of San Francisco closely resembles Django Reinhardt's band of the 1930s, the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Actually Django is the main inspiration for guitarist Paul Mehling and his quartet (comprising three acoustic guitars and a bass) but the results are far from derivative. Of the dozen tracks on the fine release from Clarity, the Hot Club accompanies three excellent singers on two songs apiece: Maria Muldaur (who sounds quite enthusiastic on "Nature Boy" and "Don't Be That Way"), Dan Hicks (famous for leading his Hot Licks) and veteran blues veteran Barbara Dane…