Contact: Anna Owens

STARKVILLE, Miss.—An acclaimed jazz ensemble will take the stage for the second performance in Mississippi State’s Lyceum Series.

Performing Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium is the Hot Club of San Francisco, whose playing has been hailed by Acoustic Guitar as “intricate, scorching and often brilliant.”

The ensemble’s current members include leader and guitarist Paul Mehling, guitarist and vocalist Isabelle Fontaine, violinist Evan Price, guitarist Jordan Samuels and bassist Sam Rocha. Price, a former member of jazz ensemble Turtle Island Quartet, came to the group with two classical crossover Grammy wins. A native of France, Fontaine lends bilingual vocals to the group’s compositions. The group celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2018.

HCSF has recorded 14 studio albums, including “John Paul George & Django,” a collection of rhythmic jazz covers of Beatles songs that was hailed by the Jazz Times as “an affectionate presentation of some of the most unbreakable melodies in popular music.” For more, visit www.hotclubsf.com.

The group’s name is derived from Roma jazz guitarist Jean “Django” Reinhardt, a guitarist for the Quintet of the Hot Club of France who helped popularize the swing or “hot jazz” style in 1930’s Paris. Contemporary hot club ensembles are located globally and continue to produce music similar to the original style.

Individual tickets are available to the general public at $30 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Purchases can be made at www.lyceum.msstate.edu and at the door if available.

For more information about MSU’s Lyceum Series, contact the Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930, visit www.lyceum.msstate.edu or email lyceum@msstate.edu. Contributions to the Lyceum Series can be made via the MSU Foundation by contacting Lynn Durr at 662-325-8918.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.