Djangofest mV artists
September 24
Gonzalo Bergara
Gonzalo Bergara is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso guitarist and composer widely recognized as one of the most innovative forces in modern gypsy jazz. Masterfully blending a cascade of intricate arpeggios inspired by Django Reinhardt with the fiery, rhythmic pulse of his native Argentina, Bergara has forged a groundbreaking style of progressive jazz manouche.
Born in Buenos Aires, Bergara began playing professionally at just 16 years old, fronting his own blues trio on national television. In 2000, he relocated to the United States, where his extraordinary technical prowess caught the attention of the acoustic music world. He rose to widespread prominence touring globally with the Grammy-nominated John Jorgenson Quintet before launching the world-renowned Gonzalo Bergara Quartet (GBQ).
GBQ’s landmark albums including Porteña Soledad (hailed as a “masterpiece” by Vintage Guitar) and 9 have reshaped traditional swing by weaving classical structures, pop melodicism, and the dramatic textures of nuevo tango into their arrangements. Having graced the stages of the Montreal Jazz Fest and the legendary Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois-sur-Seine, France, Bergara continues to push the boundaries of the genre with technical brilliance and emotional intensity.
September 24
Leah Zeger
Leah Zeger is a world-class violinist, vocalist, and composer known for her genre-defying virtuosity and dynamic stage presence. Blending the improvisational energy of Stephane Grappelli with a sophisticated vocal style reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald, she has built an international reputation for her electrifying presence in the acoustic string jazz community.
Zeger’s deep passion for the music of Django Reinhardt began in her youth. While possessing an elite classical pedigree—having won a tenured spot with the Austin Symphony Orchestra at just 19 whilst earning a degree in opera performance—she quickly gravitated toward the freedom of hot club swing. She solidified her place at the forefront of the genre as the powerhouse violinist for the Gonzalo Bergara Quartet (GBQ), and regularly performs as a featured soloist with The New Hot Club of America and The Hot Club of Baltimore ensembles.
Her astonishing versatility has led her to share global stages as a soloist for rock and pop titans Hans Zimmer Live, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Miley Cyrus, and Willie Nelson. As an official Yamaha Artist, her solo records and live sets seamlessly weave intricate, virtuosic string work with swinging vocal improvisations, cementing her status as a premier torchbearer of modern jazz manouche.
September 24
Rob Hardt
Rob Hardt is a premier jazz clarinetist widely recognized as a definitive voice in the contemporary American gypsy jazz scene. With a virtuosic technique and a tone that seamlessly bridges vintage 1930s swing with modern precision, he has spent decades captivating audiences at major jazz festivals and venues worldwide.
Hardt is perhaps best known for his pivotal role as the long-standing clarinetist for the internationally acclaimed Gonzalo Bergara Quartet (GBQ). His dynamic, driving solos and intricate harmonic interplay with Bergara helped shape the signature sound of the ensemble.
Beyond his foundational work with GBQ, Hardt has performed and recorded with elite ensembles across the genre, including The New Hot Club of America and the contemporary traditional-pop group The Black Market Trust. Known for his deep understanding of the Django Reinhardt tradition and a forward-looking improvisational style, Rob Hardt continues to be a driving force in the global jazz community.
September 24
Brian Netzley
Brian Netzley is a highly respected acoustic bassist and a fixture of the Gypsy Jazz scene for more than two decades. Known for his commanding tone, impeccable time, and instinctive sense of groove, Netzley has provided the rhythmic foundation for some of the genre’s most celebrated American ensembles.
Netzley gained international recognition as a founding member and longtime bassist of the acclaimed Gonzalo Bergara Quartet (GBQ). With the GBQ, Netzley toured the world extensively, headlining legendary international stages including the prestigious Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois-sur-Seine, France.
He later co-founded The Black Market Trust, the Los Angeles-based ensemble known for its inventive fusion of Django Reinhardt-inspired guitar, sophisticated swing, the rich vocal harmonies of the Great American Songbook.
With remarkable musical intuition and the kind of understated virtuosity that makes an entire ensemble swing, Brian Netzley brings both authority and soul to the DjangoFest stage—a masterful bassist at the heart of the music.
September 25-27
Tim kliphuis
Tim Kliphuis is an award-winning Dutch violinist, composer, and improviser whose electrifying musicianship bridges the worlds of Gypsy Jazz, classical music, and folk. Widely regarded as one of today’s leading improvising violinists, Kliphuis carries forward the groundbreaking spirit of Stéphane Grappelli while continually expanding the possibilities of the violin through his own adventurous and unmistakable musical voice.
Classically trained at the Amsterdam Conservatoire, Kliphuis immersed himself in the Gypsy Jazz tradition alongside European Sinti musicians and went on to record and tour with some of the genre’s most celebrated artists, including Fapy Lafertin, The Rosenberg Trio, and Angelo Debarre. With his acclaimed Tim Kliphuis Trio, he has performed around the world, appeared at the legendary Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois-sur-Seine, and shared the stage with artists including Les Paul, Roby Lakatos, Richard Galliano, and Daniel Hope. His genre-defying work has also brought Gypsy Jazz into dialogue with leading orchestras and the music of composers from Bach and Vivaldi to Gershwin.
Beyond the stage, Kliphuis is an influential educator and passionate ambassador for string improvisation. He is Professor of String Improvisation at the Conservatoire of Amsterdam, author of the acclaimed Gypsy Jazz Violin, and director of the international Grappelli-Django Camp.
With dazzling improvisation, expressive warmth, and a fearless approach to musical boundaries, Tim Kliphuis embodies the adventurous spirit at the heart of Django and Grappelli’s legacy—honoring the tradition while continually discovering where it can go next.
September 25
Stella heath
Stella Heath is an exceptionally evocative jazz vocalist and bandleader renowned for her magnetic stage presence and deep devotion to vintage swing storytelling. Seamlessly blending the romance of French chanson with the driving syncopation of early American hot jazz, she has become a central figure in the West Coast’s traditional jazz and acoustic swing scenes.
With a rich background in classical voice and dramatic theater, Heath founded the acclaimed Bandjango Collectif (formerly French Oak), known for its fusion of Django Reinhardt-inspired gypsy jazz, New Orleans traditional swing, and global folk traditions.
A master of micro-phrasing and historical interpretation, Heath is also the visionary behind The Billie Holiday Project, a nationally touring tribute that culminated in her celebrated album For Billie. Whether she is channeling the smoky intimacy of a 1930s Parisian cabaret or duetting with nimble acoustic strings, Stella Heath treats her voice like a virtuoso horn instrument—bringing a joyful, improvisational freedom that makes her a standout addition to any festival lineup.
September 25
Robby Elfman
September 25-27
Jimmy Grant
American rising guitar star Jimmy Grant is becoming a household name in the international gypsy jazz scene, with a career that spans the United States and Europe. He first discovered Django Reinhardt’s vibrant sounds while touring with his dad’s bluegrass band. Grant’s unique style infuses swing era pieces, original work, Hungarian, Balkan and traditional gypsy tunes with the Reinhardt’s crunchy rhythms and hot harmonies.
Grant has performed with renowned artists such as Paulus Schäfer, Ludovic Beier, Gonzalo Bergara and David Grisman, and toured extensively with Velvet Caravan. He regularly performs with Tim Kliphuis and has appeared at prestigious gypsy jazz festivals around the U.S. and Europe including DjangoFest Northwest and The New York Hot Jazz Festival.
As an educator, he teaches across the U.S. and hosts "Camp Django" in Ashland, OR. He contributes to "Gypsy Jazz Secrets Magazine" and has recorded two albums. His original composition "Insomnia" was a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition.
September 25-27
Simon Planting
Simon Planting’s career reads like a who’s who of gypsy jazz. He was the bassist for gypsy guitar guru, Fapy Lafertin (Belgium) before touring the world with the Robin Nolan Trio. Soon, he started working for John Jorgenson and his Quintet, a musical relationship that continues to this day.
Planting has performed on the world’s biggest gypsy jazz stages such as Samois-sur-Seine (France), Django Memorial (Germany) and all American Djangofests, with such gypsy luminaries as Samson and Dorado Schmitt, Bireli Lagrène, Stochelo Rosenberg and many more.
September 26 & 27
Gismo Graf
Gismo Graf is a German Sinti guitarist and composer celebrated as one of the most dazzling virtuosos on the international gypsy jazz scene. At the forefront of a new generation of jazz manouche, Graf honors the rich Sinti guitar tradition while bringing a distinctly contemporary voice to the music—seamlessly weaving together swing, pop, classical influences, and original compositions.
Performing alongside his father and longtime musical mentor, rhythm guitarist Joschi Graf, Gismo has appeared on some of the genre’s most celebrated stages, including the legendary Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois-sur-Seine, France, as well as the Stockholm Jazz Festival and Djangofestivalen in Oslo. His remarkable technique and musical versatility have also led to performances and collaborations with acclaimed artists including Stochelo Rosenberg, Tim Kliphuis, and Christiaan van Hemert.
With breathtaking speed, expressive phrasing, and an infectious stage presence, Gismo Graf embodies both the living tradition and evolving future of Gypsy Jazz—bringing an exhilarating, cross-generational energy to DjangoFest Mill Valley.
September 27