On the list of returning artists in the “Jazz at the Lobero” series at that historic venue, the Django Festival Allstars count as one of those jazz entities whose appeal extends beyond the usual jazz fan suspects. The group is a kingpin organization of the subculture of guitar-based groups shamelessly emulating the miraculous Django Reinhardt, star of 1930’s “hot jazz” or “Gypsy Jazz” scene (“Roma Jazz,” for the politically correct).
The Allstars dazzle listeners of many demographics with infectious good spirits, shameless cheerful historicism, and hot licks by the dozen-squared. Fans of more cerebral and contemporary modes of jazz can join the party, as can your general-purpose music-loving friends and family.
With their return to the Lobero on Friday, November 21, the group, founded by virtuosic Manouche (French Romani) guitarist Dorado Schmitt in 2002, arrives in 2025 with changes in the making. Dorado has passed the leadership torch to his son Samson Schmitt — another dizzyingly talented force on the fretboard — joining frontliners Ludovic Beier, on accordion, and violinist Pierre Blanchard, Antonio Licusati on double bass, and Francko Mehrstein on rhythm guitar.
The renewed band also has a new record label affiliation for bragging rights: The respected Motema label will release their new album, Evolution, on February 13. The album represents the band’s desire to branch out from the stricter adherence to the nostalgic Django/Stéphane Grappelli model, with original tunes and side trips to the worlds of Duke Ellington and even Stevie Wonder.
Accordionist Beier noted in an interview that, in the band’s music, “past and present are always a good match to create a band personality — especially by bringing new material, as every one of the lead members are also composers.”
As an added attraction to the upcoming Lobero Theatre, the stage will also feature the gifted and hip attitude-fueled young vocalist Veronica Swift, whose résumé includes work with Wynton Marsalis’s Jazz at Lincoln Center, pianist Benny Green, and the genre and era-goosing Postmodern Jukebox. She also sings in her hard rock band, DAME — she’s a full-service, postmodern kinda jazz vocalist, well-suited to the past-meets-present mandate of this band.
I asked Beier what he feels accounts for the broad appeal of Django-esque music they, and others in the sub-genre, make. “Gypsy music is virtuosic,” he said, “but always with passion and heart. There is no calculation, only the sincerity of musicians playing the music they want to play at the moment. Also, it is very important to note that the fast side could be totally reversed into a melancholic approach, which can bring joy to tears within a second.
“Django Reinhardt was a genius that made every guitarist mesmerized by his playing. Also, as this music is coming from swing, it is danceable and also easy to understand for the audience — which is part of its success.”
Django Festival Allstars featuring Veronica Swift plays Friday November 21, 7:30 p.m., at the Lobero Theatre (33 E. Canon Perdido St.) See lobero.org/events/django-festival-allstars.
