Steve's Blog
The Spirit of Django Reinhardt visits Kitsilano!
Thursday April 23, 2015

Introduction - the musical legacy of Django Reinhardt 

In the early years of the last century France was a hotbed of musical collaboration. Roma, the travelling people whose origins can be traced back to Rajasthan and whose music can be traced in the brilliant movie Latcho Drom, would set up camp on the outskirts of Paris and other towns in France and Belgium. Dance halls featured the accordions and violins - and musette bagpipes - at dances called Bals Musettes. A young Roma named Django Reinhardt started out on banjo, playing dances with his uncles and brothers. He was a prodigiously talented young man, who later switched to guitar. He adapted the music of the Bals Musettes to blend with the guitar and fiddle music of the Roma, but he lost the use of two fingers of his left hand when his caravan caught fire in 1929. Teaching himself to play the guitar again, he was able to overcome his handicap and became one of the hottest and most celebrated guitar players of all time. He was always fascinated with musical innovation, and was a huge fan of American jazz, with Louis Armstrong a particular favourite. Indeed, he regarded the legendary cornet player as a kindred spirit. A chance meeting with violinist Stephane Grappelliled to the formation of the Quintet of the Hot Club Of France, whose music “defined” Paris between the wars. Known for their adaptations of American jazz standards and the rampant arpeggios of Django’s left hand, they were Europe’s most celebrated band and were on tour in England when war broke out in 1939. Grappelli chose to stay in London, but Django returned to France. How he survived the war and the concentration camps that befell many of his compatriot Roma people is something of a mystery, but can be accredited to the efforts of a German officer nicknamed Dr. Jazzand the wisdom of the German military in general, who realised that the lure of Parisian nightlife was a great recruiting tool for young German men! Django adapted his band’s sound by replacing Grappelli’s violin with the clarinet of Hubert Rostaing, and after the war realised a treasured ambition to tour the USA with another of his idols, Duke Ellington. Django died in 1953 in the village of Samois sur Seine, 70km east of Paris, where a huge music festival is held in his honour every June. Django remains - along with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul - one of the most influential guitar players of all time. The music of Django and Grappelli lives on in the cafes of Montmartre and theatres and dance halls and gypsy encampments throughout the western world. And right here in Vancouver we are blessed with some amazing players and singers.

What Is April In Paris?

After presenting several concerts and dances with The Hot Club Of Mars, Van Django, and The Bills - amongst others - it occurred to us that the local gypsy jazz scene was a phenomenon that deserved its own little celebration. April In Paris first blossomed in 2007, and it’s become one of our most popular recurring events. Over the past few years we have brought in world-renowned artists like the John Jorgenson Quintet, and Montreal’s Christine Tassan et les Imposteures, and the Denis Chang Quartet, plus bands from Seattle and Portland (Pearl Django, Hot Club Sandwich.) This year we celebrate the Canadian gypsy jazz scene with a variety of bands and artists at the peak of their creativity, yet staying true to the spirit of improvisation and exploration pioneered by Django and Grappelli.

Come along to "Paris" in Kitsilano this weekend. We promise you some scintillating music, swing dance lessons, and some delicious nibblies and refreshing beverages - all with a uniquely Parisian flavour ...

N.B. There is a weird glitch in our website, listing Saturday's show before Friday's show. I haven't been able to fix it. The sequence of shows is as follows below. 

Tickets are on sale at Highlife Records, Prussin Music, Red Cat Records, Rufus' Guitar Shop, and online - just select the show you want to see:

SPECIAL OFFER: Come to the shows on Friday and Saturday and we'll give you Sunday's show for free! 

Friday, April 24th 8pm

Cabaret / Burlesque Night
w/ Deanna Knight & The Hot Club Of Mars
St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)
Tickets $30 ($26 members)

The festival kicks off with Cabaret / Burlesque Night featuring Deanna Knight & The Hot Club of Mars and guests. Travel back in time to a Parisian Cabaret in the 1930’s and experience one of Vancouver’s most eclectic gypsy-swing ensembles. Enjoy a fun-filled repertoire including original compositions, tango, bossa, boogie, Hawaiian - with a little bit of Burlesque and the spirit of Le Moulin Rouge (Moulin Rogue?). Gypsy Jazz from traditional to the unusual will unfold in an evening cabaret kicking off with a swing dance lesson and featuring The Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret Chorus Line, burlesque dancer Voracious V and performance artist and mime Dianna David. The Hot Club Of Mars have recorded two CDs to date: Gypsy Fire, and Kiss Of Fire. The band features Deanna Knight on vocals, Michael Dunn, Steve Szabo and Don Kellett on guitars, Mark Dowding on sax, flute and harmonica, Tom Nevilleon fiddle, & Charlie Knowles on bass. www.deannaknight.ca