Hot Jazz For a Cold Night

Feb. 1, 2015

The Hot Sardines Heat Up The City Opera House

The Hot Sardines aren’t people packed together in a warm room, nor are they tinned fish in a peppery sauce – they’re something even better.

The Hot Sardines are an eight-piece ensemble that embraces the glitz, glamour and musical aesthetic of the Roaring 20s, and they’re performing Tuesday, Feb. 10 at the City Opera House in Traverse City.

The group began when singer Miz Eliz, a writer by trade, met amateur pianist Evan "Bibs" Palazzo at a jazz jam session they discovered on Craigslist.

"I sang in the shower and Evan was selftaught," said Eliz.

The two found they shared a passion for the music of the Jazz Age.

"We love the music of the 20s to 40s. We kept in touch and, before long, we were geeking out," she said.

During one of these geek out sessions, a friend of a friend stopped by with a delivery. Enthralled by the sounds, Eddy Francisco started tap dancing along with the music. Before long, "Fast Eddy" was part of the band’s percussion section. With the addition of horn players and a fleshed-out rhythm section, including a bassist who also plays sousaphone, the group has become what Forbes Magazine calls "one of the best jazz bands in New York today."

"It all grew out of the songs we wanted to play," said Eliz.

The songs encompass material by Fats Waller, Sidney Bechet, Sammy Cahn, Hoagy Carmichael and others, from the dawn of the Jazz Age to the Great American Songbook.

"There’s something about traditional jazz. It’s like no other experience," said Eliz. "There’s a lot of joy in the music. It reaches for your heart and soul."

While they loved the music, Palazzo and Eliz didn’t consider it a calling at first.

"We started playing this music as a hobby," said Eliz.

After realizing that – much to their surprise – they really were forming a band, they needed a name. They knew they wanted to use the word "hot" to reflect the style of music. They tried pairing other words with hot and, when Eliz found a tin of sardines in hot sauce at the store, everything fell into place.

The multilingual Eliz was born in Paris and grew up in several countries, including France, Canada and the Ivory Coast. She sings in French, as well as English, which led to one of the Hot Sardines’ signature performances.

The band received an email inquiry for a jazz band that could perform songs in French. They responded with samples and video snippets and got the gig.

It turned out the event was Midsummer Night’s Swing at Lincoln Center. The Hot Sardines’ set brought the house down in front of more than 6,000 people. They gained an instant fan base and soon more offers started coming.

Since that showcase, their crowds have ranged from a handful of people to thousands.

"We like to play for different audiences," said Eliz. "If it’s 800 people, the energy in the room is going to be different than if it’s 100 people. That’s one of the things that’s fun about it."

Another performance aspect the band has fun with is its wardrobe, appearing in shirts, ties, vests and suspenders.

"We try to dress up," said Eliz with a laugh. "We could play this music in T-shirts and jeans, but it’s more about the era. Back in the day, it was an event; you dressed up. We pay homage and respect to the music."

Yet, they don’t treat the music with kid gloves.

"The music is always different. It’s never the same solos twice," she said. "We do songs from the 20s, but someone might throw in a Prince riff or something from the Meters."

The Hot Sardines perform at the City Opera House in Traverse City on Feb. 10 at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $25, $15 for students. To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit: www.CityOperaHouse.org.