20th annual DJANGOFEST MILL VALLEY
20th annual DJANGOFEST MILL VALLEY
Get ready for three days of incredible music, vibrant energy, and unforgettable performances. DjangoFest Mill Valley runs THU, September 26th through SAT, September 28, 2024.
This year we feature a world-class lineup of Gypsy Jazz musicians from across the globe who perform and celebrate the music of the great French/Belgian guitarist, Django Reinhardt. Join us and other Gypsy Jazz fans, players and enthusiasts for three days of concerts, workshops and impromptu "djam" sessions.
The festival features top drawer musicians including Sam Farthing - Mads Tolling - Robin Nolan with Special Guest - John Jorgenson and Simon Planting!
INCLUDES:
20% Savings
Signed Poster
Reserved seats
Early entry
festival Concert lineup
Thursday
6:30pm - Opening party
8pm Concert
Sam Farthing,
Mads Tolling,
Jordan Samuels and
Ari Munkres
Friday
8pm Concert
Robin Nolan Trio
Robin Nolan
Special Guest
Simon Planting
Saturday
8pm Concert
John Jorgensen Quintet
John Jorgensen - Guitar
Casey Driscoll - Violin
Rick Reed- percussion
Simon Planting -Bass
John Jarvis - Piano
2nd Set
John Jorgensen Quintet
plus festival Guests
Festival Curator Simon Planting is responsible for bringing our DjangoFest lineups to new levels. We are in his debt for the wisdom and talent he brings to each festival. He is a Dutch double bassist who lives near San Francisco,. He studied Classical bass with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Jazz at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam before embarking on a professional career. He has performed in concerts and festivals the world over, and has compiled an impressive discography with artists like Mathilde Santing, Fapy Lafertin, Jimmy Rosenberg, Stephane Wrembel, and John Jorgenson.
★ Schedule, lineup, and format subject to change ★
SAM FARTHING. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26. @ 8Pm
Twenty-one year old Sam Farthing is a skilled guitarist and songwriter from Baltimore, specializing in jazz manouche and gypsy music. At age ten Sam picked up the guitar and soon after started playing the music of his favorite guitarist, Django Reinhardt. With performances around the world at festivals like the Festival Django Reinhardt in France, Djangofest Northwest in Washington, Django sur Lennon in Ireland, Django a Gogo events around the USA, and the Charm City Django Jazz Fest at home in Baltimore, Sam has established himself as a notable figure in the genre. His commitment to musical authenticity and dedication to teaching have made him a respected mentor to many aspiring guitarists.
Mads Tolling. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26. @ 8Pm
Mads Tolling is an internationally renowned violinist and composer originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, now living in San Francisco. As a former nine-year member of both bassist Stanley Clarke’s band and the celebrated Turtle Island Quartet, Mads won two Grammy Awards, and he was nominated for a third Grammy in 2015. Recently, he was the 2016 winner of the DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Violin Award. Mads has performed with Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis, Kenny Barron, Paquito D’Rivera, Leo Kottke and Sergio & Odair Assad.
After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2003, he was recommended by Jean-Luc Ponty to join Stanley Clarke’s band. He has since been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, and his recordings have received rave reviews in the Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Strings Magazine and DownBeat Magazine. Mads has performed for Prince Frederik & Princess Mary of Denmark at the celebration of The Danish Embassy’s 50-year Anniversary. Mads has twice been commissioned to write violin concertos, for Oakland Symphony and Pacific Chamber Orchestra. He has performed his symphonic works and soloed with orchestras around the U.S. and Japan.
ROBIN NOLAN - FOR THE LOVE OF GEORGE HARRISON. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27. @ 8PM
This is the first time these guitars have been recorded since the 70's, an exciting prospect for all Beatles fans as well as lovers of the music of George Harrison and acoustic guitar.
Robin and the trio will be playing songs from the new record, some original compositions and of course some gypsy jazz classics!
“In these days of ‘cackophony’ it’s great to hear some proper music” George Harrison
“Robin Nolan is so amazingly good.” Bill Wyman
“Robin plays a mighty fine guitar!” Willie Nelson
Robin Nolan is one of the world’s best known and most admired gypsy jazz guitarists and has been praised for his musical genius and creativity by Willie Nelson, Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman, and the late George Harrison.
Legendary in the Django Reinhardt world, Robin has headlined every major gypsy jazz festival across the globe & Nolan’s music is taking gypsy jazz into the 21st Century beyond Django Reinhardt and incorporating influences of The Beatles, Ravi Shankar and AC/D
When one of the world's most celebrated gypsy jazz guitarists reworks the world's greatest bands music, magic can happen!
George Harrison was a fan and friend of Robin Nolan, one of the world’s leading authorities on Gypsy Jazz. Harrison even named him as one of his favourite guitarists!
Nolan has a new instrumental album out on Harrison’s ‘Dark Horse Records’ and was recorded using three of George’s famous Beatles guitars including the Gibson J160E which has the distinction of being the only guitar used on every Beatles album, the Spanish Ramirez as famously heard on 'And I Love Her' and the 12 String Rickenbacker 360/12 used by George on the bulk of the 'A Hard Day’s Night' album.
John Jorgenson Quintet plus special guests SaTurday, SEPTEMBER 28. @ 8PM
John Jorgenson Quintet creates a unique musical experience that equally enthralls the most discerning and the casual music fan. The ensemble was originally formed in 2004 for the release of “Franco-American Swing”.
The group’s style has been called “Gypsy Jazz” after the dynamic string-driven swing created by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in 1930s Paris, but Jorgenson’s compositions draw in elements from Latin, Romanian, Classical, Rock and Greek music, so “21st Century World Music” is perhaps a more apt description.
The John Jorgenson Quintet is the only American act to ever headline the prestigious Django Reinhardt Memorial Festival in France, and has been featured at other “Djangofests” in the US, UK, Germany and Canada. For the films Gattica and Head in the Clouds Jorgenson was tapped to recreate Django’s music, and in the latter he even appeared onscreen as Django with stars Charlize Theron and Penelope Cruz.
Here’s what others have said about John Jorgenson:
“Brilliant guitarist!” – ELTON JOHN
“John Jorgenson is one of my most favorite players. He is incredibly versatile and his solos are unique and melodic, played with amazing technique. ‘My guitarist’s guitarist.” – PETER FRAMPTON
“If there was one guitar player I’d like to be, it would be John Jorgenson.” – BRAD PAISLEY
“John Jorgenson is a true artiste. He’s a phenomenal musician.” – CHRIS HILLMAN“This is a display of virtuosity rarely rendered.” – FRETBOARD JOURNAL
“John Jorgenson is one of the most respected guitarists in the world…” – LOS ANGELES TIMES
“John Jorgenson has a rare kind of genius for an instrumentalist in that he’s equally comfortable and capable of playing Buck Owens, Beatles riffs, or jazz leads…” – NO DEPRESSION