DJANGOFEST MILL VALLEY
Thursday Sep. 26th - Saturday Sep. 28th
Throckmorton Theatre announces their 20th annual DjangoFest celebrating gypsy jazz and the musical legacy of DJANGO REINHARDT. We present some of the biggest names and brightest stars of the genre and this year continues that tradition.
Our stellar lineup features renowned musicians Robin Nolan and Special Guest, John Jorgensen with Casey Driscoll, Rick Reed, Simon Planting and and John Jarvis; the 20-year old guitar prodigy Sam Farthing; Debi Botos, Dylan Perrillo and Special Guest Mads Tolling!
Join us along with other Gypsy Jazz fans, players and enthusiasts for three days of concerts, workshops and impromptu "Djam" sessions. The three day festival includes concerts, workshops and a last-night “Djam” featuring many of the participating gypsy jazz artists.
Ticket prices:
General Admission $50 - $65
Reserved $70 - $85
All-concert Reserved Pass $200.00
Thursday Sep. 26th
6:30pm - Opening party
8pm Concert - Sam Farthing,
Debi Botos
Dylan Perrillo
plus special guest Mads Tolling
Saturday Sep. 28th
8pm - John Jorgensen Quintet
featuring:
John Jorgensen - Guitar
Casey Driscoll - Violin
Rick Reed- percussion
Simon Planting -Bass
John Jarvis - Piano
John Jorgensen Quintet
plus festival Guests
Sam Farthing. Thursday, September 26. @ 8pm
Samuel Farthing is a 17 year-old jazz swing guitarist inspired by the legendary French manouche guitarist Django Reinhardt.
Samuel lives in a Maryland suburb within the Baltimore/Washington corridor. He started playing guitar at age 10 and stumbled into gypsy jazz at age 13. Since then, it has been his passion and inspiration. Sam’s talent far exceeds his number of years playing. He is considered one of the finest young up-and-coming gypsy jazz guitarists in the world…
Robin Nolan - For The Love Of George Harrison. Friday, September 27. @ 8pm
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.
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/DC.
JOHN JORgENSON QUINTET - SATURDAY. SEPT. 28 @ 8:00PM
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
