When a noted multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer joins forces with a Grammy Award winning rhythm and blues producer and guitarist, the last thing you’d expect to hear them play would be an eclectic blend of virtuoso classical violin music, vintage film scores, and authentic Argentinian tangos. But then, you also never expected to take your seat for a concert only to find you’ve been transported to an exotic locale thousands of miles away in a bygone, romantic time previously accessible to you only through history books.
“Music is generally an affair of the heart and soul,” says Dave Hartl, The Night Café’s accordionist. “But after assembling our repertoire, we discovered that there was also a strong sense of visual imagery that went hand-in-hand with the music we were playing.”
“A lot of that has to do with the unique instrumentation of The Night Café,” adds mandolinist Allan Slutsky. “Having a trio comprised of accordion, mandolin, and acoustic bass makes us a throwback, a nod to the many small ensembles that played in European clubs during the early years of the 20th Century. The sound we produce is so old that it’s new again. We’ve evolved into a musical time machine.”