These years were the start of the peak period for the Hot Club, which would last for 7 further years of continued gigging and re-establishing the band as the local legends of Gypsy/Jazz, playing festivals, and many public performance venues, as well as an increasing demand for private and function work, ranging from the Birmingham Jazz Festival, to Oxford University, to more long-standing residencies at various local venues in and around Nottingham. Paul and I continued to play several duo gigs at this stage, including Chez Pierre at Center Parcs, and Cafe Rouge.
In the background to all this, my personal inspiration continued to be focused largely on Bireli Lagrene, who was continuing with his 'Gypsy Project', which by 2004 had moved into a slightly more modern phase, when violinist Florin Niculescu was replaced by saxophonist; Franck Wolf, with Wolf and Lagrene moving into 'Be-bop' territory with numbers like 'Donna Lee', and 'Move', as well as Django originals played with Bireli's uniquely modern approach to Gypsy/Jazz.
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