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News • New Mexico • United States • 2011-12-19

The Doña Ana Arts Council Presents the Return of Hot Jazz With a Southwestern Twist: Le Chat Lunatique

It\'s been two years since Las Cruces saw the likes of Le Chat Lunatique. The Dona Ana Arts Council believes that\'s two years too long! Made up entirely of Albuquerque residents, Le Chat Lunatique is primarily a Jazz band, but a Jazz band with a twist. They claim that their forte is Filthy, Mangy Jazz, the result of a mutual love for the great Hot Club of France--a gypsy swing group from 1940s Paris, which included the combined genius of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli--fused with Western Swing and Latin rhythms to create a formidable groove that is wholly fresh and uncompromising.

The proof, however, is in the performance. The Weekly Alibi says, \"The best thing about this quartet\'s hot, Parisian swing-style Jazz is how immensely listenable and, well, fun it is.\" Local I.Q. agrees, stating \"pictures a well-heeled gypsy band puffing Gauloises in some saloon with French dancehall mam\'selles kicking up their gams and you\'ll be prepared for this ensemble\'s tight and talented act.\" Le Chat Lunatique will take the Rio Grande Theatre stage on January 14, 2012.

From their earliest gigs, Le Chat Lunatique has offered swinging originals with ear-snagging hooks and stories to tell-well-constructed little gems that propagate earworms for ongoing pleasure. Devilishly clever lyrics offer insight into l\'amour (\"falling in love is like eating tacos\"), a louche paean to a doting millionairess (\"Buy me a Cadillac, buy me a yacht / Buy me everything that I haven\'t got\"), minatory observations on fate (\"the bus of God will run you over\"), and the inevitable bitterness of a broken heart (\"Miss Lady . . . please do me the courtesy of drinking in some other gin joint\"). The band\'s repertoire also features original arrangements of tunes that stretch from kindergarten favorites (\"Frère Jacques\") to pop hits (\"Straight Up\") to swing anthems (\"Minnie the Moocher\") to Reinhardt classics (\"Blue Drag\"). Every single tune is more than covered-it\'s completely \"Le-Chat-ified.\"

The Rio Grande Theatre is located at 211 N. Main Street, in Las Cruces. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased via the website at www.RioGrandeTheatre.com. Showtime is 7pm; doors open at 6:30pm. Call (575) 523-6403 for more information.

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