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Launched in 2000, the Django Reinhardt New York Festival was the first-ever festival of its kind in America, establishing a home at the legendary club, Birdland, in New York City. Celebrating its eighth anniversary in 2007, the Festival celebrates the music of Django Reinhardt who teamed with famed jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli in the 1930s and 1940s to create the Quintet of the Hot Club de France which went on to become one of the most important jazz partnerships in history.
This 'hot-swing' form of jazz has its roots in American popular music and in reverence of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and other great American jazz figures.
Django played with virtuosity unmatched to this day and an originality that inspires young guitarists all over the world to continue perpetuating his legacy. Django not only performed with tremendous talent but was a highly regarded composer having written such standards as “Nuages.”
The Django Reinhardt Festival Band serves to carry on this legacy with the top players from Europe combined with America's great jazz stars to bring joy to audiences with its swinging sound, romantic melodies and musical camaraderie. While created over 50 years ago, the music is 'cutting edge' and is enjoying a resurgence all over the world.
Festival Band producers call it 'hip hot'!!! During the Festival Band’s Opera House performance, Dorado Schmitt will be joined by his son Samson Schmitt on guitar, Florin Niculescu on violin, Ludovic Beier on accordion and Musical Director Brian Torff on bass. -- www.napavalleyoperahouse.org
Posted October 31st, 2007 by ruzik_tuzik
