Django’s Birthday Party at The Royal Room

Gypsy jazz musicians from around Puget Sound will celebrate Django Reinhardt’s 109th birthday with an evening of music. The concert will feature two bands, Victor Horky’s Silk Road Swing and Ranger and the ‘Re-Arrangers’, plus other top Seattle Gypsy Jazz musicians will make guest appearances, including Tovi Newman on Guitar.

Django was an itinerant Gypsy who earned international acclaim in the 1930’s. Many of his compositions became jazz classics and he is considered one of the top guitar soloists of all time. Duke Ellington called Django “the most creative jazz musician to originate anywhere outside the United States.” Decades later, Jerry Garcia said, “Nobody has really come to the state that he was playing at…nobody plays with the whole fullness of expression that Django had.”...

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Gypsy jazz musicians from around Puget Sound will celebrate Django Reinhardt’s 109th birthday with an evening of music. The concert will feature two bands, Victor Horky’s Silk Road Swing and Ranger and the ‘Re-Arrangers’, plus other top Seattle Gypsy Jazz musicians will make guest appearances, including Tovi Newman on Guitar.

Django was an itinerant Gypsy who earned international acclaim in the 1930’s. Many of his compositions became jazz classics and he is considered one of the top guitar soloists of all time. Duke Ellington called Django “the most creative jazz musician to originate anywhere outside the United States.” Decades later, Jerry Garcia said, “Nobody has really come to the state that he was playing at…nobody plays with the whole fullness of expression that Django had.”

Guitarist Victor Horky brings the swingin' sound of Django Reinhardt to life with his band Silk Road Swing, and especially loves to play for dancers. Ranger and the ‘Re-Arrangers’ evoke the spirit of a Paris cafe and the raucous energy of a Gypsy campsite. Says violinist Ranger Sciacca: “Our goal is to feature as many great musicians and different instruments as we can!”

There is no cover charge, but donations will be accepted.

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