hep to the jive

If you have the chance to check out Eric Lewis, I strongly suggest that you do.

DCist tipped me off to the fact that he was playing at HR-57, so I talked to my fellow California transplant Sean, and we decided to check it out.

First things first, the joint takes its name from House Resolution 57, passed in 1987, which established jazz as a valuable American artform. Legislation worth remembering, who knew?

Second: Jazz Club + BYOB = Too Hip For Words.

And completing the trifecta, it's all about the atmosphere. Exposed brick, cozy candlelit tables tucked away in darkened corners, it's got a speakeasy vibe that's unlike any venue I've ever seen. Love it.

As if that weren't enough to make a night of it, the music... totally mind-blowing. The first set started with an improvisational interpretation of "Clocks" by Coldplay—a song I've never liked, and yet, by some auditory miracle, suddenly I found myself falling in love.

And that was just the beginning.

From there, things got progressively more intense, from the violinist soloing so furiously he snapped the catgut of his bow to Lewis banging out notes on the piano's strings. You couldn't ask for a more electric, high-energy performance. I easily call it one of my favorite East Coast moments.

Definitely worth more than the price of admission.