While the history and music of Gypsy Jazz is relatively undocumented, Django Reinhardt was one of the first musicians to be recognized for his dazzling talent in this genre. The toast of Paris in the 30's, Reinhardt entertained the likes of Josephine Baker, Picasso and Hemingway. The Festival's "Gypsy Jazz in Paradise" will capture the history and culture of this soulful swing music for three days.
Ben Powell’s abilities as a multi-stylistic violinist have allowed him to perform with some of the world’s greatest artists, irrespective of musical genre: from such pop and jazz icons as Paul Simon, Herbie Hancock, Gloria Estefan, Stevie Winwood, Philip Bailey and Rosa Passos to internationally famous classical conductors, including Sir Roger Norrington, Marin Alsop, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Keith Lockhart. He’s performed at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics and the BBC Proms, and he’s as familiar a presence at international jazz festivals and live music clubs as he is in the world of Early Music and the classical concert hall.
Founded in 2003, The Hot Club of Detroit rapidly accumulated accolades and audiences over the next several years, including a first-place win in the 2004 Detroit International Jazz Festival competition and multiple Detroit Music Awards. Their 2006 self-titled debut, while slightly more traditional than later releases, established their broad-minded approach to the Django resurgence.
Since that time, it's become increasingly evident that their inspiration comes as much from the spirit of Reinhardt's playing as by its much-copied sound. While they've maintained some recognizable elements - the absence of drums, the percussive "la pompe" rhythm guitar technique - the Motor City quintet apply those elements to a decidedly modern sound, refusing to be constrained by allegiance to some time-honored, purist ideal.
Featured band: Hot Club of Detroit and Ben Powell. Ben Powell's set will begin at 7:30 and will be followed by Hot Club of Detroit.