By Mark Ambrogi
The Hot Sardines feature their own spin on hot jazz and jazz standards.
“We have a love affair with all the pop music from the first half of the last century,” singer Elizabeth Bougerol said. “We play jazz that goes back as early as the 1910s and goes as late as the 1950s. It’s old music but we’re definitely playing it in 2015.”
Bougerol, known as Miz Elizabeth, and Evan “Babs” Palazzo are the co-founders of the group. The Hot Sardines will be the featured performers at New Year’s Eve at the Palladium.
“This music has a lot of spirit and there is something a little magical about New Year’s Eve,” Bougerol said “It will be fun way to ring in 2016. We believe music should move you and we have a lot of love the early days of jazz and American popular song. Those are the two points on the map. We’re playing music and we’re on a stage. The tap dancer is not just a percussionist. He’s a visual part of the show. You don’t hear this kind of jazz too often any more. This is sort of our Valentine to the songs of that era and the joy of playing them live for audience. “
Bougerol said their live performances are always evolving.
“You are never going to play the same song (the same way) twice,” she said. “There is a lot of fertile ground between 1900 and 1950 so we’ve definitely evolved in terms of adding more repertoire and bigger arrangements. We’re an eight-piece band with a three-piece horn section so that gives us a lot to play with. We’re constantly finding new material from the first half of the last century. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface.”
Bougerol and Palazzo met at jazz jam in 2007 that was advertised on Craigslist. Bougerol said they connected musically right away with many of the same loves.
“There were a lot of the same people that we musically admired,” Bougerol said. “We never intended to start a band. Each of us was just trying to find one other person to explore this love of music with.”
Bourgerol and Palazzo were not professional musicians at the time.
“He had taught himself piano and I sang mostly in the shower,” Bougerol said. “I had done one or two high school musicals but beyond that I never sang outside my apartment.”
The other members of the band were all trained musicians.
“We learn so much from them every day,” she said.
New Year’s Eve schedule of events at the Palladium
8 p.m. — Kickoff the celebration with parties throughout the Palladium. Explore the building and find heavy hors d’oeuvres, champagne and three music rooms. The Bishops and Flatbed Twitch Trio will each be in separate rooms. Karaoke provided by P3 Productions will be in a third room. The bands and karaoke will run until 10 p.m.
10 p.m. — The Hot Sardines will begin their performance on the Palladium stage.
Midnight – There will be party favors as the countdown is led by the Hot Sardines.
12 to 1 a.m. – Enjoy gourmet desserts and coffee in the lobbies.
Tickets for the New Year’s Eve Extravaganza, start at $100 and include champagne, two drink vouchers, hors d’oeuvres, the Hot Sardines concert and all festivities. The New Year’s Eve Extravaganza is on sale at TheCenterPresents.org, the Palladium Box Office and by phone at 843-3800.
