With an attitude that mixes equal parts whimsey and subversion, the imaginative chamber jazz group Tin Hat mines its original tunes from all over the map. Whether the first notes of a number are plaintive cowboy or seductive bossa nova, you never know where exactly they're headed—but you can always be sure it is somewhere intriguing. The group's hybrid of Old World exotica and New World chutzpah combines tango, bluegrass, Eastern European folk, and contemporary classical music with elements of Klezmer, Cajun, and much more.

Come help us celebrate the imminent release of Tin Hat's new live CD, Foreign Legion, which includes several tracks recorded at the Freight! (A limited number of the CDs will be available for sale tonight, in advance of its February 2010 street release date.)

Tin Hat's current lineup features violinist Carla Kihlstedt, guitarist and dobro player Mark Orton, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, and the multi-talented Ara Anderson on trumpet, harmonium, and glockenspiel. Together the five create rich, wonderfully compelling music, memorably described by the New Yorker magazine as "a soundtrack for the kind of puzzling dream which leaves you sitting awake in the middle of the night."

Tin Hat pursues an active touring schedule in the U.S. and Europe, as well as a number of special projects. In 2003, they performed Mark's triple concerto for trio and 21 strings, commissioned by the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. The group's evocative compositions are also featured on a number of film soundtracks, including The Good Girl, Everything is Illuminated, and the upcoming release The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond.