It's a Wednesday night at Brasserie Du Vin in Chinatown, and the place is packed.

They come for the wine, which is always flowing, but more and more fans are coming to tune in to Hot Club of Hulaville, a Hawaiian jump swing musical sensation.

Led by guitarist Sonny Silva, Hot Club has become one of the main attractions on the jazz scene. The demand for its unique sounds has grown to the point that Hulaville will kick off the Atherton Performing Arts Studio's summer concert series this weekend with three concerts, an unprecedented number of consecutive concert appearances by a single ensemble at the studio. "Adventures in Paradise: An All Hapa-Haole Experience," features the Hot Club's unique interpretations of Waikiki's quirky "hapa" classics.

"We know Sonny can draw an audience," said Judith Neale, director of promotions at Hawaii Public Radio, which operates the Atherton Performing Arts Studio.

Atherton is an intimate, 75-seat venue with acoustics that allow it to double as a recording studio. Through July 4, it will be the host site for a summer concert series of various musical genres.

Silva is fond of saying Hot Club of Hulaville makes no apologies to the cultures and music it borrows from. Often times, the group will take a traditional song and put its own spin on it, be it a "Bali Ha'i" arrangement or another form of jazz.

"We are on a relentless quest to examine and understand the roots of Hawaiian jump swing — to play it and expand it," Silva said. "Like all good artists, we are thieves."

This weekend, Hulaville will feature Silva on the guitar, sultry singer Ginai leading the vocals, Duane Padilla on the violin, Pierre Grill on the accordion and piano and New Yorker "Big" Elbee on bass.

The group's sounds pay tribute to Gypsy maestro Django Reinhardt, a pioneer of the global Hot Club scene.

"Sonny has incredible energy," said Gene Evans, HPR'S community outreach manager.

ATHERTON EARLY SUMMER CONCERT SCHEDULE:

Atherton Performing Arts Studio seats 75 people. Call 955-8821 for reservations. All Atherton concerts begin at 7:30 pm, unless otherwise noted.
Tickets: $25 general admission; $20 for Hawaii Public Radio members; and $15 for students with ID.
738 Kaheka St.

The Hot Club of Hulaville

"Adventures in Paradise: An All Hapa-Haole Experience"
7:30 p.m. today
6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Saturday

Heejin Kang in a Harpsichord Recital

June 13
Works by Sweelinck, Bach, Couperin and Scarlatti

Rolando Sanchez and Salsa Hawaii

June 20
Hawai'i's premiere Latin band makes its Atherton debut

Philip Gottling/ Kazutaka Shimuzu/Wendy Yamashita

June 27
An evening of classical bassoon, flute and piano including works by Taffanel, Donezetti and Villa-Lobos

Sandy & the Braz Jazz

July 4
Return to the Atherton will feature a fireworks-filled Brazilian jazz extravaganza