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1997 - HOTS tours Southeastern France By: Jack Elder |
The New HOTS Jazz Orchestra, a 1920s-style hot dance band based in Herndon, VA, toured southeastern France during the first two weeks of July 1997. A former HOTS member, Francois Zamora, arranged for HOTS to be invited by L'Echo Musicale de Montfavet, the Department of Vaucluse's music school.
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HOTS was invited to play a series of nine concerts,
including a regional band festival, a promotion in a modern
US-style mall, a public concert during Avignon's
"International Festival of Theatre, Dance and Music," a
Bastille Day Parade, and several late evening paid public
dances. HOTS departed Dulles on Air France at 7:20 PM Monday, 30 June and arrived in Marseilles at 4:00 PM on Tuesday, 1 July. The hosts met HOTS and drove the orchestra to Avignon in time for supper. |
HOTS' hosts loaned their trailer, beverage coolers, and heavy equipment such as a drum set, sousaphone, music stands, and sound amplification equipment, for the entire trip. Orchestra members were housed at Provence Accueil's Le Hameau Champfleury, a youth hostel 15 minutes walk from the "walled city" in Avignon.
| In Avignon, HOTS visited the Palace of the Popes, climbed the Rocher des Doms, and walked the Benezet Bridge. Each day the Orchestra traveled out of Avignon heading in a different compass direction in four rented seven-person vans. HOTS' sightseeing carried them as far southeast as Monaco, as far southwest as the walled fortress city of Carcassonne, and northeast into the foothills of the Alps. Members swam in the Mediterranean Sea, in the French Grand Canyon, and under the Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard. |
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HOTS drove east through the Luberon, seeing the stone huts in the village of the Bories, the lavender fields at the Senanque Abbey, and the Benedictine Monastery at Chartreuse du Val. HOTS drove along the Cote d'Azur from Cannes to Nice to Monaco, saw Roman coliseums, amphitheaters, triumphal arches, fountains and gardens in Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Nimes, and Orange, climbed the medieval ruins of Les Baux, drove south through the Camargue to the medieval port of Aigues Mortes, explored the castle in Tarascon, and visited numerous churches along the way.
HOTS
concert in the plaza of Chateau neuf-du-Pope
The mini-vans tackled French freeways, mountain
roads, and the narrowest of village streets -- even those where the
side view mirrors had to be folded back to keep them from dragging
on the walls! HOTS had more than a few three-to-five hour sleep
nights tucked in between gigs and its sightseeing schedule. As one
orchestra member commented, "You have to be tough to have this much
fun!"
 HOTS concert in Cournonterral near Montpellier |
During day trips, HOTS subsisted on lunches of fresh baguettes, cheeses, dry sausages, fresh fruit, soft drinks and wine from the local vineyards which were carried in coolers in each van. Many delicious evening meals were home-cooked by concert sponsors or provided free by the restaurants for which we performed. HOTS also enjoyed steak-frites, cous-cous, moules and other dishes in local bistros and sidewalk restaurants. |
HOTS' hosts arranged a wonderful specially-prepared
Provencal meal in a fine restaurant, La Gendrome, in
Savoillan near Mont Ventoux. Many who had never travelled
overseas before were introduced to the slower pace of French
meals - Kir or Pastis for an aperitif, then
salad, then an entree with wine, then cheese, then dessert,
and finally coffee - a full two-hour process. The French
seem to always get started late, eat slowly, and party until
the early hours of morning.
| HOTS was well received by all its audiences. The French seem to appreciate a wider range of styles than does the US audience. Prominent were Spanish Paso Dobles, and "Helene's Song" - which turned out to be a line dance version of the "Hokie Pokie." They enjoyed the full range of HOTS repertoire; from turn-of-the-century ragtime, hot and sweet dance tunes of the '20s-30s, through early 40's classic "big band" swing. Their favorites were "In The Mood", and "Pennsylvania 6-5000". |
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HOTS typically played an "aperitif" sampler concert at 6:30 PM in front of a restaurant in the village square, then ate dinner, and finally played for dancing from 9:30 PM until after midnight. HOTS was told there is no comparable dance band in all of Provence or the Cote d'Azur.
On Sunday morning, HOTS rose very early to participate in an all-day Band Festival with six village bands from all parts of France. After a mass rehearsal, the bands laid a wreath at the town of Villelaure's World War II Memorial. HOTS' director was invited to conduct the massed bands in "The Star Spangled Banner" and the "Washington Post March".
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Reminiscent of New Orleans bands'
"tailgating" on the back of mule-drawn
wagons to advertise their performances,
each of the participating bands,
including HOTS, went to the town square
of a neighboring village to play a
mini-concert to encourage public
attendance at the regional music
festival. The Orchestra improvised
Dixieland-style as the "New Reliance
(New Orleans marching) Brass Band" in
Cadenet under the statue of Le
Tambour d'Arcole. This statue
represents Napoleon's drummer, a local
hero, leading a charge. While the other bands took turns playing marches, show tunes and classical tone poems, HOTS held forth with Milenberg Joys and other hot dance standards. The crowd really enjoyed the contrasting musical styles. At the end of the festival, HOTS invited members of the other bands to take turns soloing on its encore "Sugarfoot Stomp". |
One of The Orchestra's more challenging concert experiences occurred in the village square of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. After a generous tasting at the Cuve de Vatican winery, HOTS mounted the bandstand to find that the only light for the evening dance came from two overhead spotlights mounted on a building across from and in front of the bandstand. HOTS read its music in silhouette as the light came through the back side of the sheet music through the wire stands.
On Bastille Day, HOTS lead the villagers of Monteux in a New Orleans-style street parade to each of five medieval towers which mark the boundaries of the town. At each tower, fireworks were set off. After the spectacular fireworks display, HOTS went back to the main square for a parting drink and to dance for a short time to a great Gypsy orchestra. A magical night!
The reed section included Michelle Williams (Flute/Piccolo), Theresa Timmerman (Soprano/Alto Sax), Howard McCullers (Clarinet, Tenor Sax), and Judy Powell (Clarinet/Alto Sax). The brass section included Don Wickham (Trumpet), Harvey Bronstein (Trumpet), and Dan Reinhart (Trombone). The rhythm section included Les Collins (Tuba, Bass Viol), Lisa Taylor (Drums), and Jack Elder (Piano/Conductor).
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Vocalists included Dana Connor, Mike Tompkins, and a trio of HOTS supporters, Anjanette Reineke, Marilyn Hilbers, and Dawn Eichenlaub. Other travelers included Bryant Reinhart, Monica Jerbi, Jim Taylor, Julie and Katy Elder, Randy and Carolyn Williams, Sandy Grant, Tom Wilcox and Pat Stroup. Les Collins, a professional magician and clown, tied balloons for the children in the audience everywhere HOTS went. |
During breaks, HOTS'
drummer, Lisa Taylor,
who is a talented singer
and song writer, sang
some of her original
folk songs from her new
CD. Jim Taylor served as
HOTS' sound technician,
coordinated equipment
set up and tear down,
solved technical power
supply and compatibility
problems at several
difficult sites, and
made us sound great!
| A total of 25 persons made the trip but only six spoke French. Those who did not were quick to master basic phrases. The French were very generous with compliments to those of us who tried. Prior to departure, HOTS presented its hosts with an American flag which had been flown over the Capitol especially for them. HOTS is preparing a wall plaque and photo that the music school can hang in it's rehearsal hall, and has also sent them several of its musical arrangements. |
Jack and Band
Director of
L'Echo Musicale
de Montfavet
celebrate French
American |
HOTS arrived back at Dulles on Tuesday, 15 July, not quite exhausted but definitely triumphant, having met its objectives of having a good time, seeing all that could be seen of southeastern France, and sharing its music with the people of the region.
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