Roberta Donnay and the Prohibition Mob Band bring to new life the blues and jazz of the 1920s and ’30s, diving deep into the music of Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Sippie Wallace, Ethel Waters, and Ida Cox. Downbeat Magazine says that Roberta’s “interpretive license is valid for both jazz and blues,” and that she “knows exactly how far she can go drawing inspiration from time-honored singers…without sacrificing a sense of self.” The review goes on to say that her musical touch “is firm and playfully coy, her tonal control secure, and her combination of silkiness and sensuality effective in a meticulous, measured manner.” She has released seven albums, including her latest, A Little Sugar, and has worked with Dan Hicks as one of the Lickettes since 2007. Her all-star band features John R. Burr on piano, Sam Bevan on bass, Rich Armstrong on coronet and trumpet, Mike Rinta on trombone, Sheldon Brown on clarinet and saxophone, and Deszon Claiborne on drums.

Le Jazz Hot features Paul Mehling on lead guitar and vocals, Evan Price on violin, Isabelle Fontaine on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Sam Rocha on bass and vocals. They play the music known as “gypsy jazz” with quietly dazzling brilliance. Paul founded the band in the early 1990s, and since then they’ve released nine albums, teaming up with folks like David Grisman and Dan Hicks, and turning out scintillating versions of classics by Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grapelli, and Cole Porter, as well as Paul’s sparkling originals. The band is equally at home playing tangos, waltzes, or tender ballads, and they swing with an ease that keeps the focus on the timeless beauty of the music.

Listen to a track from Roberta Donnay & the Prohibion Mob Band:

visit Roberta Donnay's website

visit the Le Jazz Hot website