In the Paris of the 1930s, when French – Belgian born - Guitarist Django Reinhardt started to perform at the Hot Club of France with Violinist Stephan Grappelli, he created one of the biggest European contributions to Jazz: Gypsy Jazz. With two disabled fingers on his left hand, he invented new licks and voicings, and created a new jazz musical vocabulary on which he built this new genre with a quintet of only stringed instruments: the Quintet of the Hot Club of France.
Like all jazz musicians, Django borrowed the music of the greatest and made it his own to develop his style: inspired by Classical musicians, popular Singers, Ballroom music and of course American Jazz – not to mention Duke Ellington and Charlie Christian.
More than 100 years later, Gypsy Jazz is now part of everyone’s Jazz heritage. Jazz bands and artists now borrow the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephan Grappelli and incorporate it to their music. Today, Everyone plays Gypsy Jazz.
For the first time, in Washington, Baltimore, Annapolis, the DC Djangofolies showcase the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephan Grappelli as we reinvented it today. Featuring Internationally acclaimed Artists and local bands at multiple venues in the area from Sunday June 24th to Sunday July 1st.
Note that all shows are independent and have to be booked separately with the venue.
With one foot in France, roots in Belgium, a guitar in the US and a heart beating at a Gypsy Jazz paced tempo, it is a great pleasure to be able to share this passion and present the first DC Djangofolies, a multi-venue, week long Gypsy Jazz extravaganza.
Stephan Caucheteux & the Hot Club of DC