The French jazz tradition continues when the Hot Club of San Francisco returns to Hope College on Friday, March 11, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. in the Knickerbocker Theatre. This ensemble of accomplished and versatile musicians celebrates the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s pioneering Quintette du Hot Club de France. The ensemble borrows the instrumentation of violin, bass and guitars from the original Hot Club while breathing new life into the music with innovative arrangements of classic tunes and original compositions from the group’s superb lead guitarist, Paul Mehling. “Intricate, scorching and often brilliant” is how Acoustic Guitar describes Mehling’s work. The group also features the violin of two-time Grammy Award-winning Evan Price, the vocals of Isabelle Fontaine, and a strong rhythm section. The ensemble was a big hit in its 2008 appearance on the series.