Based: Johannesburg

Hot Club d’Afrique is an all-acoustic gypsy swing quartet from Johannesburg. Their music pays tribute to the “Quintette du Hot Club de France” founded in 1934 by the famous virtuoso duo consisting of guitarist and composer, Django Reinhardt, and violinist, Stéphane Grappelli.

The original Hot Club’s music could be heard in clubs, concert halls and cafés on the streets of Paris, France and throughout Europe. The recordings that remain conjure up nostalgia for a by-gone era and have inspired the style’s resurgence in popularity over the last few decades. Musicians from around the globe have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of this technically demanding, yet melodic and soulful style.

“Hot Clubs” have been forming all over the world, such as “Hot Club de Norvège”, “The Hot Club of San Francisco”, “The Hot Club of Europe”, and even “The Hot Club of Beijing”, referencing the original quintet in their names whilst representing their city, country, or continent.

Django’s legacy is continuously being celebrated in the modern film industry, with directors by the likes of Woody Allen featuring the genre in the soundtracks of their films such as “Midnight in Paris” and “Sweet and Lowdown”. The classic French film “Chocolat” features the instantly recognisable gypsy standard, “Minor Swing”.

Hot Club d’Afrique is comprised of Kevin Drummond on lead guitar, Theodora Drummond on accordion, Katharina van der Walt on bass and vocals, and Frances van der Walt, alternating on violin, rhythm guitar and backing vocals. The band’s repertoire features 1930s and current gypsy standards, original compositions, and classic French and English ballads.