Hot House (band)

Hot House an American jazz band which performs mainly in the Dixieland tradition. Formed in 1978, the band has kept the same three main members, Eric Henry (tuba), Paul Butler (clarinet) and Jim Smith (lead vocals, banjo, tenor guitar) while rotating in others to fill out a larger ensemble as needed. Instruments frequently added include trumpet, trombone, drum set.

Hot House has released four studio albums. Their most recent, Bleemheelgers and Glue was released in 2008. Hot House was named Best Jazz Band of Philadelphia in 1996 for their live performances at bars and restaurants.

Formation and early years (1978-1988)
Hot House formed in 1978 as a group of college musicians performing in summer resort areas. The members met while attending Mansfield University in Pennsylvania. Their first cassette was a recording of a live show performed by a group of 5, supplementing the regular two with a trumpet and trombone. The cassette was sold mainly to local fans and friends, and has never been reformatted to CD.

Recording Period (1988-1998)
Hot House proceeded to release two albums during this period, Pucker For Y'all and Spetchin' at the Thoik. Beginning with these, Hot House developed a trend for naming and designing their albums. Each has a specific story which locates it within the timeline of the band's evolution. Also during this period, the band toured Paris in 1997. They stayed for 3 weeks, playing at clubs and restaurants as well as large venues.

Pucker For Y'all
The name for this album came about accidentally during conversation while the band was playing at Magnolia's Cafe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (now closed). The cover of the album features a simple light purple and white background with a bright pink impression of a kiss. The kiss imprint was provided by a favorite waitress at Magnolia's, and was preserved on a napkin by Paul Butler until the album was finalized.  Track List:

Spetchin' at the Thoik
Again a result of conversation, Spetchin' at the Thoik was named for another gig. This one occurred in Chestertown, Maryland at an estate with unusual architecture. Allegedly, the band drove over a hill to catch a glimpse of the modern mansion and could find only the word "thoik" to describe the building. Thus the title was born. The cover of this album showcases a simple black and white photograph of the band in their younger years, when Eric Henry and Paul Butler had shorter hair.  Track List:

Touring (1999-2000)
The band's longest tour thus far occurred after Hot House was recognized by the U.S. State Department as members of the USIA Jazz Ambassadors Program. This great honor accorded them two opportunities: at their farewell concert at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., they recorded their only live album, entitled Hot House: Live; and they were sent on tour overseas as Jazz Ambassadors. Their worldwide tour included stops in Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Morocco and Tunisia. They were very well received in all the countries. Highlights of this tour include playing with a group of high school musicians who were learning to play the American jazz style; sampling the many cuisines of the native areas; debacles involving the transport of a tuba on so many airlines and much more.

C.I.M. Era (2001-2009)
The band has recently been focusing more on side projects involving education and outreach in combination with performance. Hot House has been doing residencies in schools for days or weeks for years, but have only recently begun permanent projects. The biggest of these projects is called Children Improvising Music or C.I.M.. This program is set up in week long 'camps', where groups of students ages 3 and up come and work with the band at least twice. The program aims to help children explore music through improvisation and focuses on 5 main tenets: Listening, Aesthetics, Counting, Watching, and Teamwork. This camp has been well received by the groups involved, and is in its 6th year.

Bleemheeglers and Glue
Hot House's most recent release was named after a comic inability to produce the term 'macaroni and cheese' led to this amalgamation. Track list:

Style
Hot House mainly plays in the Dixieland style of jazz. Their combination is unusual, in that they have replaced an upright bass with a tuba. Throughout the years, Jim Smith has changed instruments: going from a banjo early on, to a four-string tenor guitar presently. The band plays mostly jazz standards, including songs by such greats as Duke Ellington and Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton. Dixieland was one of the first styles to value and utilize improvisation, and Hot House continues this traditions. On their recordings, the solos are fairly organized and constrained within a normal song length. During their live performances, however, the band gauges the crowd's mood and can jam as long as the audience is willing to listen. Each member is excellently proficient in solo improvisation, both vocally, often in scat and on their respective instruments. Another important aspect of Hot House's style is their ability to engage the audience. Using songs such as It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) and French Toast, the band encourages the audience to sing and shout along. Since so many of their songs are standards, people are always welcome to accompany Jim Smith on vocals when they know the words.

Band members

 * Eric Henry – tuba, Manager/President (While Eric Henry does the majority of managerial duties, the band is organized in a strictly democratic 33% distribution. The money and decision making have always been split three ways.)
 * Paul Butler – clarinet, other woodwinds where necessary
 * Jim Smith - banjo, tenor guitar, lead vocals, whistling

Touring members

 * Carol Henry - trombone
 * Glenn Zockel - trumpet
 * Mike Dimonte - drums
 * Eric Rassmussen - trumpet

Studio albums

 * Pucker for Y'all (1992)
 * Spetchin at the Thoik (1995)
 * Bleemheeglers and Glue (2008)

Live Albums

 * Hot House: Live (1999) Recorded at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Video

 * From the Kennedy Center Live Performance

Awards
Best of Philadelphia (1996) Kennedy-Center-USIA Jazz Ambassadors (1999–2000)