Hot Sardines HOLIDAY STOMP Announced At SOPAC

Those mischief-makers of hot Jazz, The Hot Sardines, make a joyful return to SOPAC with The Hot Sardines' Holiday Stomp! on Saturday, December 14 at 8 p.m.

A rollicking evening of Hot Sardines hits and seasonal favorites is in store for fans of this widely acclaimed Jazz collective, called "one of the best jazz bands in NY" by Forbes. Tickets are $39-$49, available now at SOPACnow.org/hot-sardines.

Described as "potent and assured" (The New York Times) and "simply phenomenal" (The Times, London), The Hot Sardines are fueled by the belief that classic Jazz feeds the heart and soul. Fronted by pianist and bandleader Evan Palazzo and co-leader and singer Elizabeth Bougerol, they are on a mission to innovate and share the revelry they bring to music, both new and old. In the talented hands of this ensemble, music first made famous decades ago comes alive through brassy horn arrangements, spirited piano melodies and vocals from a chanteuse who transports listeners to a different era with the mere lilt of her voice. The Hot Sardines have a broad and impressive palette, combining covers and originals as they effortlessly channel New York speakeasies, Parisian cabarets and New Orleans Jazz halls.

Palazzo and Bougerol met in 2007 after both answered a Craigslist ad about a Jazz jam session above a Manhattan noodle shop. The unlikely pair - she was a London School of Economics-educated travel writer who grew up in France, Canada and the Ivory Coast, he was a New York City born-and-raised actor who studied theater at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia - bonded over their love for the music of Fats Waller. Influenced by such greats as Dinah Washington, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday, they began playing open mic nights and small gigs; by 2011, they headlined Midsummer Night Swing at New York's Lincoln Center.

The Hot Sardines' first major label album was self-titled and named one of the best Jazz albums of 2014 by iTunes. It spent more than a year on the Billboard Jazz Chart, debuting in the Top 10 alongside Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. The accolades began pouring in for the band: Downbeat called The Hot Sardines "one of the most delightfully energetic bands on New York's 'hot' music scene," while The Times of London praised their "crisp musicianship" and "immaculate and witty showmanship."

According to Nate Chinen of WBGO Jazz Radio: "Not many bands have seized the postmillennial early-Jazz spotlight with as much gusto as The Hot Sardines."

The timing couldn't be better for the group's latest release, the live album Welcome Home, Bon Voyage (Eleven Records). The tracks, which include "Everybody Loves My Baby," "Caravan," "Some of These Days" and more, capture The Hot Sardines at Joe's Pub in New York City - the first venue to give the Sardines a home - and Koerner Hall at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, one of the first major halls filled to capacity by the band.

Since 2006, SOPAC has been serving as a premier performing arts center in the region. SOPAC offers innovative artistic and cultural experiences for diverse audiences in an intimate, inviting environment. The arts center hosts a variety of live performances, community events and education programs for all ages. SOPAC is home for Seton Hall University Arts Council's performances, including Classical Concert Series, Jazz 'N the Hall performances and Seton Hall University Theatre productions. SOPAC programs are made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, visit SOPACnow.org.

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