Music like The Hot Sardines

The Hot Sardines is an American jazz band formed in New York City in 2007 by artistic director, singer, and writer Elizabeth Bougerol and artistic director, actor and pianist Evan Palazzo. The Sardines emphasize both authenticity and irreverence in their performances.

Evan Palazzo, the bandleader and pianist, is a native New Yorker. He began playing piano by ear at age three and was beguiled by amateur musicianship his whole life. As a boy, he aspired to be "a performer and an entertainer, but also a combination of Rick Blaine and Victor Laszlo." He was a student at the Waldorf school in New York City and went on to major in theater and musical theater at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He developed a passion for jazz in general and playing stride jazz piano in particular. Returning to the Big Apple, he made a living as an actor in theater and film production, as well as continued working on his music. In 2007, he released an album titled Finding His Stride featuring his special brand of stride piano music with a "ragged" rhythm. For a while Evan was a trouper in chanteuse Lauren Ambrose's band, The Leisure Class. He appeared in scenes playing the piano in several films. His spouse, actress Jennifer Weedon, knowing of Evan's desire to start a jazz band, placed an ad on Craigslist for him. Soon Evan was getting together with other musicians for informal jam sessions.