Two of Jazz’s finest accordionists Ludovic Beier and Julien Labro will be appearing as part of the upcoming Jazz festival being held in New York.

The ninth Django Reinhardt Festival at the Birdland in New York will feature “The Young Lions of Gypsy Jazz” including Samson Schmitt (France), Andreas Oberg (Sweden) November 4-6 only, Ludovic Beier (France), Jean Baptiste Schmitt “Bronson” (France, the brother of Samson), Kruno Spisic (Philadelphia), Timbo (France – violin), Brian Torff , Music Director (from the US – bass) plus: The Hot Club of Detroit (November 7-9 only).

Special Guests include: Joel Frahm (November 4 and 8), Howard Levy (November 5), Wycliffe Gordon (November 6), Edmar Castaneda (November 7), David Langlois (November 9). The concerts run Tuesday through Sunday, November 4 – 9 at 8:30 PM & 11 PM with tickets priced at $35 for General Admission and $45 for Orchestra seating.

The spirit of Django lives on in New York, returning to Birdland for it’s ninth year! Excitement over the music of the legendary French gypsy jazz guitarist has grown immeasurably since Producers Pat Philips & Ettore Stratta founded the Django Reinhardt NY Festival in 2000.

Combining the best players from Europe with some of America’s finest jazz artists, a unique atmosphere of virtuosity and fun pervades Birdland for one week only! Reinhardt, a musical genius born to gypsy parents, was a virtuoso on the six-string banjo while still in his teens. In 1931, he heard the music of Louis Armstrong, an experienced than inspired and shaped the future of his music. By the time of his death twenty-two years later, Reinhardt had single-handedly redirected the course of jazz guitar.