Harmony Hotshots Jazz Band
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The Harmony Hotshots is a professional performance and dance jazz band featuring improvisational spontaneous music true to the roots of America’s jazz. We are NoCo’s traditional jazz dance band - come swing with us.
The Harmony Hotshots is also a nurturing band and welcomes good musicians of any age who would like to learn the roots of improvisational jazz, and, of course, we welcome skilled trad players as well.
The Harmony Hotshots works closely with the Northern Colorado Traditional Jazz Society to expand the community of early jazz fans both on-stage and in our ever-growing audience.
This live recording was made August 18, 2024 at Club Tico in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Ted Turner (leader, banjo, vocals), Clark Burnside (clarinet, soprano saxophone), Jesse Mathews (trumpet, Vocals), Wes Melander (bass), Reece Pullen (drums, vocals), Fred Smith (piano), Steve Tyler (trombone, vocals).
We play at Club Tico in cooperation with Cat's Corner Swing.
Video by Ted Turner using a Samsung 23 Ultra cell phone. Audio is multitrack recording using Soundcraft UI24r, and mixed with Harrison Mixbus 10 PRO.
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or if you would like to play with us,
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We look forward to hearing from you.
"Hindustan" is a popular jazz standard composed in 1918 by **Oliver G. Wallace** and **Harold Weeks**. The song became one of the most enduring and widely performed pieces of early jazz and dance music, capturing the exoticism and global influences that were popular in American music during the early 20th century.
### Origins
- **Composition:** "Hindustan" was composed during a time when American popular music was heavily influenced by international themes and melodies. Composers Oliver G. Wallace and Harold Weeks drew inspiration from the fascination with the Orient, which was a common trend in Western culture at the time. Although the song's title refers to Hindustan (a historical name for the northern part of the Indian subcontinent), the music itself does not directly reference Indian musical traditions but rather evokes a generalized sense of the exotic.
- **Oliver G. Wallace:** Oliver G. Wallace was an English-American composer and conductor who would later become well-known for his work in film music, particularly with Disney. However, "Hindustan" remains one of his most famous compositions from his early career.
- **Harold Weeks:** Harold Weeks was a composer and musician based in Seattle. He was part of the burgeoning West Coast jazz scene and contributed to the song's creation, providing the musical structure that made "Hindustan" a hit.
### Early Popularity
- **Sheet Music Success:** Upon its publication in 1918, "Hindustan" quickly became a popular song, with its sheet music selling widely across the United States. The song was embraced by both professional musicians and amateur pianists, making it a common tune in American homes during the post-World War I era.
- **Dance Craze:** The catchy, upbeat melody of "Hindustan" made it particularly well-suited for dancing, and it became a favorite piece in dance halls and clubs. The song's rhythmic drive and exotic flair made it a hit among dance bands, contributing to its widespread popularity.
### Jazz Standard and Later Recordings
- **Jazz Adaptations:** "Hindustan" was quickly adopted by jazz musicians and became a standard in the early jazz repertoire. Its structure allowed for improvisation, which made it a favorite among jazz bands in the 1920s and 1930s. The song was recorded by various jazz legends, including the Original Dixieland Jass Band, whose 1918 recording helped popularize it in the jazz world.
- **Notable Versions:** Over the years, "Hindustan" has been recorded by many notable jazz and swing artists, including Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Django Reinhardt. Each artist brought their unique interpretation to the piece, further cementing its place in the jazz tradition.
### Musical Characteristics
- **Melody and Harmony:** "Hindustan" features a lively, syncopated melody that is both memorable and adaptable. The song's harmony is relatively simple, following the popular song forms of the time, but its exotic flavor comes from the use of certain modal elements and rhythms that were intended to evoke the idea of the "Orient."
- **Instrumentation:** In jazz performances, "Hindustan" is often played with a standard jazz ensemble, including instruments like the trumpet, clarinet, trombone, piano, and banjo. The song's upbeat tempo and danceable rhythm make it a favorite for lively performances.
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