Hot Club of San Francisco to Perform Concert at the Alden, Featuring Early Stop-Action Animated Films, 11/17

The Alden in McLean, Virginia, brings Hot Club of San Francisco to the East coast for a concert of Django Reinhart-inspired hot jazz, "Cinema Vivant," on Saturday, November 17, at 8 p.m. The Alden is located at 1234 Ingleside Ave in McLean, VA, and tickets are $25 for the general public and $18 for MCC tax district residents.

Hot Club of San Francisco brought their signature guitar-heavy French Gypsy jazz to the Alden in 2008 for “Silent Surrealism,” an event that combined a concert with screenings of early silent, surrealist films. This November they return for more silent movies paired with live Gypsy jazz. “Cinema Vivant” is a celebration of imagination and innovation highlighting the work of pioneering stop-action animator Ladislaw Starewicz. Starewicz was a gifted storyteller who used the New Medium of animation to illuminate his fantastic imaginings of the secret lives of ordinary objects. Included in the screening is one of Starewicz’s short films that will remind modern audiences of a certain toy story. American Charley Bowers revolutionized the industry in the 1920s by combining animation with live action. “There It Is,” a recently rediscovered film by Bowers, rounds out “Cinema Vivant.”

Hot Club of San Francisco has been touring the world for over 20 years. Their members include leader and violinist Paul Mehling, and two-time Grammy Award-winner Evan Price and a swinging rhythm section.

Tickets are $25 and are now on sale. Discounts are available to seniors, students and groups of eight or more. Tickets can be purchased online at www.aldentheatre.org. For more information, call 703-790-0123, TTY: 711, or visit: www.aldentheatre.org.

Built in 1975, the 383-seat Robert Ames Alden Theatre, The Alden, is a cultural resource for the citizens of McLean that presents a full professional season of interdisciplinary and high-quality performances, lectures and educational programs for audiences of all ages. The Alden is ADA-compliant and will make arrangements for accommodations.

Photo Credit: Lenny Gonzalez