Although guitarist Django Reinhardt and his violinist friend Stéphane Grappelli formed their Quintette du Hot Club de France back in 1934, there are legions today with a burning desire to join the club and know more about the music, the man and the lifestyle that generated such feverish playing.
The Django Festival Allstars, which formed in 2002, invite new audiences and old fans into a world steeped in rich tradition but burning with a modernistic approach. You think: If Django were around today, this is what he would be playing.
French guitarist and violinist Dorado Schmitt and his guitar-playing sons Amati and Sampson came by Morning Jazz with the rest of the Allstars: guitarist Franco Mehrstein, bassist Geno Roudin, violinist Pierre Blanchard and accordionist Ludovic Beier. They shared the Attitude Manouche — a spirit they’ll also share on Wednesday afternoon at 1100 Harbor Boulevard in Weehawken, N.J.
For more information about the Django Allstars, visittheir website.
Videography: Chris Tobin and Sarah Kerson
Audio Mix and Video Edit: Corey Goldberg
