The Gypsy jazz group’s fans have come to expect first-rate musicianship, swinging arrangements, delightful melodies and a great mix of originals and classic tunes. “Modern Times” has it all.

“Well, there’s a bit more accordion on it,” said Tacoma resident and Pearl Django founder Neil Andersson, “and I think we put more emphasis on arrangements than we have in the past.”

David Lange’s contributions on accordion are easy to pick out on “Modern Times,” including his own composition, “Chutes No Ladders,” but Pearl Django effectively conceals the sophistication of the arrangements by making it all seem effortless.

Still, there’s no hiding Andersson’s serious technical chops in playing the melody of the Irving Berlin classic “Cheek to Cheek,” and the Pearl Django arrangement is terrific.

“I’ve always liked that tune,” Andersson said, “and it is a bit of a complex arrangement, for better or worse, going back and forth between the guitar, violin and accordion.”

Violinist Michael Gray contributed a fine original, “Missoula Flood,” which features him bowing and playing pizzicato (plucking his strings) at the same time, thanks to a little overdubbing, Andersson said, “but we played most of the album live.”

Gray also provided half of a musical sandwich in “Sombre Dimanche/Les Rubis.” The traditional gloomy Sunday first part is slow, but it picks up and rocks out in Gray’s “Les Rubis” portion.

Another classic, Charlie Chaplin’s great “Smile,” gets an uptempo treatment that doesn’t diminish the emotional, triste effect of the song.

“I thought it could be done in the Hot Club style, basic straight-ahead swing,” Andersson said.

One of the songs on which Lange shines again is “L’Indifference,” which – to this ear – sounds like it borrows from an old folk melody that also inspired at least one classical composer.

“It was written as an accordion tune,” Andersson said, “in the musette style. Musette, ‘bal musette,’ was a popular dance style in France before swing came in. It’s done in a very danceable waltz time.”

Nonetheless, he wouldn’t be surprised if forms of the melody had been used before.

“Those things roll around,” he said, “and there’s only 12 notes we have to work with.”

Fats Waller’s “Black and Blue” benefits from the electric guitar of guest performer Robin Nolan, who leads his own Gypsy jazz trio in Amsterdam. The haunting melody of Harry Warren’s “September Rain” is nicely handled by Andersson and Lange.

Bassist Rick Leppanen’s “The Conversation” lives up to its name as the instrumentalists carry on an intriguing musical dialogue.

One of the more surprising selections is Duke Ellington’s “Warm Valley.” “There aren’t a lot of his songs that have been played as Gypsy jazz,” Andersson said, “but he and Billy Strayhorn wrote some fabulous tunes.”

Andersson wouldn’t say so, but he’s written some fabulous tunes, too. “Mulholland Bounce” is like a gentle giant, full of tender touches that don’t quite conceal its real power.

Interestingly, Andersson put the same song on another new album, “Malibu Manouche,” which features him, Tacoma guitarist Peter Pendras and two of the Northwest’s finest jazzmen, bassist Chuck Deardorf and drummer Mark Ivester.

As its title suggests, “Malibu Manouche” is an unlikely and entirely likable marriage of surf music, rock and Gypsy jazz. But that’s another story. Both albums are available at www.pearldjango.com and www.amazon.com.

HALF NOTES

 • Judging from a recent show at the Tacoma Elks, the New Blues Brothers Revue is in fine form with a great mix of R&B, funk and Memphis soul. The band will be at the Emerald Queen I-5 Showroom tonight and Saturday.

 • Jazzbones features bluesman Eddie Turner tonight. The Cuban-born former member of the Otis Taylor Band mixes Afro-Cuban rhythms with Chicago blues, jazz, R&B and psychedelic rock. The Pink Floyd tribute band Blind Floyd plays Saturday, and an Americana songwriters showcase will be the 6 p.m. all-ages event on Sunday. Featured performers will include Jimmy Baldwin, Tyler McCumber, Michael ONeill and Meagan Munroe.

 • The Mandolin Café will offer Dustin Blatnik’s jazz, blues and rock on Saturday and bluegrass and Celtic music from the Boys of Greenwood Glen on Thursday.

 • A Rhapsody in Bloom features the Mike Nelson Jazz Trio Plus 1 on Wednesday.

rick.nelson@thenewstribune.com