Video: The Django Festival All-Stars: NPR Music Field Recordings
Musicians: Samson Schmitt, lead guitar; Ludovic Beier, accordion; Pierre Blanchard, violin; DouDou Cuillerier, rhythm guitar; Brian Torff, bass

Birdland will feature the Django Festival Allstars including Samson Schmitt, Pierre Blanchard, Ludovic Beier, DouDou Cuillerier and Antonio Licusari. They will be performing from October 26-30, 2021 at the Birdland Jazz Club, 315 W 44th St., New York, NY 10036, New York.

The Django Reinhardt Festival is going into is in its 20th successful year with packed houses at its home, the legendary music club BIRDLAND, in New York City-and tours prestigious halls across the country such as Rose HALL/Jazz at Lincoln Center, Disney Hall in LA, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, The San Francisco Festival, and many more.These world class musicians, who come mostly from France, now called the DJANGO FESTIVAL ALLSTARS, are the best players to come out of the Festival. They return to New York twice a year, Summer and Fall, for 6 days, 12 sold out shows and tours.　　

The Django Reinhardt NY Festival brings the music of the great gypsy guitarist, Django Reinhardt, into the 21st Century.  The high energy performances pay tribute to Reinhardt who is considered one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time. Reinhardt’s driving, swinging style became known as ‘HOT JAZZ’. The Django Festival Allstars add their own interpretations and arrangements to some of Reinhardt’s greats, as well as create new and modern compositions of their own.

I have attended the Django Reinhardt Festival for over 10 years at Birdland, located on 315 West 44th Street, NYC which is an exciting and very comfortable venue. I highly recommend the evening! The Django Reinhardt NY Festival continues at Birdland for the 20th successful year. Excerpts from Birdland website: The Django Reinhardt Festival carries on the legacy of legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, with original music keeping it fresh, exciting, cutting-edge! .…along with some old favorites.. the music, Hot Jazz, ‘swiging and romantic’ has exploded across the US and it all started at Birdland in 2000, with the launching of the Festival with tours now 2X a year at prestigious venues…to standing ovations: Kennedy Center, Disney Hall in LA, SF JAZZ, to name a few.

Dorado Schmitt, legendary Manouche gypsy guitarist from the Strasbourg region of France, a Django look-alike with pencil thin mustache, returns to Birdland to adoring fans. Schmitt started coming to the US in 2002 and is now a star attraction at major festivals as well as at Birdland. He is joined by his son, Amati Schmitt, a brilliant young guitarist, plus other talented musicians appearing regularly as part of the Festival: Virtuoso accordionist/accordina player Ludovic Beier, violinist Pierre Blanchard. Each year, they present their newest compositions/arrangements filled with technical brilliance and emotion. If you want to hear more, check them out on Youtube. 

Accordionist Ludovic Beier is amazing in his virtuosity and sensitivity in performing. Born in 1978, Ludovic Beier learned the accordion from his father and benefited from being part of a musical family. He was brought up in the French tradition of the instrument and developed his jazz accordion skills. He has a spirited, adventurous style which strays into all kinds of byways. He performs on the French and European scene with some of the top players of the Django/Swing Jazz style including Angelo Debarre, Dorado Schmitt, Florin Niculescu.

Along with his virtuoso playing, Ludovic composes and arranges, and has his own band, Ludovic Beier Quartet, to perform his “cool and latin” French jazz. He has an impressive technique and also a great dose of lyricism with a band that keeps him at full stretch. Besides performing in Europe at top festivals and clubs, he appeared in the States with the Django Reinhardt Project, performing at Birdland (NYC) with guests such as Paquito D’Rivera, at Lincoln Center with Joe Lovano, at Yoshis (CA) with David Sanchez, and last summer at the Montreal International Jazz Festival with Angelo Debarre and James Carter where he brought the house down. He also had the honor to perform at Carnegie Hall with Toots Thielemans among a prestigious line up including Herbie Hancock, Ivan Lins and Eliane Elias.

Festival sponsors have included AIR FRANCE, RD Wright Inc, and John Pearse Strings. ABSOLUT, GRANDE ABSENTE, FUJITSU who presented it at Jazz at Lincoln Center, WILD TURKEY (5 years), and many more.

For further information: patmusic2@gmail.com