The Django Reinhardt NY Festival goes into its 11th year this November 2-7 at Birdland

DORADO SCHMITT And The

DJANGO REINHARDT NY FESTIVAL ALLSTARS

“LIVE FROM THE KENNEDY CENTER”

The Django Reinhardt NY Festival goes into its 11th year this November 2-7 at Birdland and is stronger than ever, so much so that Producers, Pat Philips & Ettore Stratta are planning a 2nd such Festival in June 2011 allowing more great artists of this genre an opportunity to appear. Dorado Schmitt and The Django Reinhardt NY Festival Allstars CD showcases top players who’ve appeared regularly at the annual Festival.

Gypsy Guitarist Dorado Schmitt is from the Strasburg area of France, and has been at the center of the Festival’s success with appearances for 9 years along with his son Samson Schmitt who literally grew up on Birdland’s stage playing alongside his Dad other greats that appear on the CD: Ludovic Beier from Paris on Accordion and Accordina, Florin Niculescu also from Paris on Violin, and Brian Torff from the US on Bass and acting as Host. The Allstars have toured top US venues such as The Kennedy Center, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Disney Hall, SF Festival, Yoshis, to name a few and always to standing ovations.

Dorado Schmitt with his pencil thin moustache is a legendary guitarist and composer carrying on the legacy of gypsy guitar great Django Reinhardt. Like Django, he suffered frm a terrible accident (his in a car) which disabled him for several years. After a serious comma, he returned to music and the tradition of Django passed down thru his family. He is also responsible for helping to launch and create the authentic resurgence of this captivating hot swing, romantic music in America. In Europe, he has secured a place of honor.

This CD captures the true flavor of Django’s style, virtuosity, and gypsy life . The repertoire encompasses famous Django compositions such as “Minor Swing” and “Nuages” featuring Dorado Schmitt on guitar, “Bossa Dorado” written by the elder Schmitt and featuring his son Samson, “Souvenir” also composed by Schmitt and featuring Ludovic Beier on Accordina - an unusual instrument, “Song for Ettore” - also by Schmitt and written for Ettore Stratta and featuring Schmitt on violin as well as great violinist Florin Niculescu who is also featured on “What is this Thing Called Love” and “Embraceble You”. It closes with “J’attendrai” with a charming vocal rendition by Dorado Schmitt. The CD is Produced by Pat Philips & Ettore Stratta.

There are few genres of music that have had the long-lasting appeal of the music of Django Reinhardt. As Michael Dregni says in his new book GYPSY JAZZ: “One man, one guitar,two fingers, six strings, an infinity of notes, this jazz is joy made song. Alive and iridescent, it swings with effortless intensity, transcending the everyday world…yet infused with a bittersweet spirit, nostalgic melancholic, something nameless and impossible to articulate in anything but music.

Within the melodies and strophes of imporvisations resound an emblem of a people." This is captured authentically and realized in this new CD “ Dorado Schmitt and The Django Reinhardt NY Festival Allstars” Live from the Kennedy Center. “Here is music with real emotion in a modern age when so much electronic pop music wears a false heart on its sleeve. It is music personal to one culture and yet universal to all.” (Dregni)
For more info or a copy for review: contact: Pat Philips - patmusic2@gmail.com or 212 744-8836