Music: Hot Club of Cowtown

Texan swing band Hot Club of Cowtown, favoured by Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, are at The Maze in Mansfield Road, Nottingham tonight. SUE ATKINSON spoke to Whit Smith.

WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BAND NAME?

It's a blend and reference to our influences, the Hot Club of France and Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.

HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC?

We have been described as several things! We play swing jazz and fill our sets with lots of energy and improvisation.

Our originals are a blend of influences from Gypsy Jazz to Western Swing and even contemporary songwriters like Tom Waits.

We our devout practitioners of our instruments so there's much emphasis on musical skill, soloing, arranging, etc.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

All of us come from musical families. It took a few years of perseverance to find each other but fate seems to have thrown us together.

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION?

The three of us have a wide range of tastes. We look for older and obscure records and sort of connect the dots of musical history. If something moves us we just zero in on it and start to learn it by ear. I listen to lots of Louis Armstrong. When I play a Louis style solo on guitar it comes out a bit like Django. Then I throw in a double stop and a few open strings and it morphs into western swing.

WHO ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

Django Reinhardt, Frank Sinatra, Stan Getz and Brazilian mandolinist Jacob do Bandolimb.

Tickets are available from Fopp or at the door priced from £15. Call 0115 947 5650 for more information.

For details of more Cosmic American shows in Nottingham go to www.cosmicamericanmusic.com or register for the mailing list by emailing james@cosmicamerican.com