The Hot Sardines

“These are times that need live music. And I don’t know of anything that brings people together like the joy of hearing traditional jazz live,” says Elizabeth Bougerol, co-leader of The Hot Sardines, with pianist and bandleader, Evan Palazzo. These mischief-makers of hot jazz have been described as “potent and assured” (The New York Times) and “simply phenomenal” (The Times, London), with more than a year on the Billboard Jazz chart and 20+ million streams on Spotify (over 90 countries). The timing couldn’t be better for their next live album, Welcome Home, Bon Voyage (April 19 / Eleven Records).

“Everything in our DNA is about connecting with the audience. That’s where we feel most at home,” says Elizabeth, of playing live with the eight-piece band (including one wildly percussive tap dancer). The Sardines have gone from speakeasies and underground parties in Brooklyn, to festival crowds of 25,000 and a TV debut on Later… with Jools Holland “That’s where jazz lives,” adds Evan. “In the playing, in sharing that experience, in coming together to create a moment that won’t happen again.”