Gypsy Jazz scene Colorado

djangoisgod · April 2013

There is absolutely no scene for gypsy jazz out in Colorado! Or is there?

Archtop Eddy · April 2013

djangoisgod wrote:

There is absolutely no scene for gypsy jazz out in Colorado!

Wow. That's interesting and as the old joke goes, I just may resemble that remark. But at the risk of asking -- what's your source for this comment? AE

kungfumonk007 · April 2013

Got Olli Soikkeli coming out in Sept, of course just had Joscho out last September. You want to play I'm always up for playing, and I think Archtop usually is as well just as long as his show isn't on (he addictively watches reruns of Ally Mcbeal. . . seriously, it's really kind of weird).

You got Mango Fan Django, Swing Je T'aime (we are half breeds though), Gypsy Swing Revue, Sacre Bleu, and a dozen other talented gypsy groups.

kungfumonk007 · April 2013

John Jorgenson seems to be out here a couple times a year. I'm still disappointed that Gonzalo hasn't been out here yet though. I'm going to keep on bringing it up until someone harasses him and convinces him to come out here.

We also have YOU, and I'm sure you could swing circles around me, and definitely Archtop (he used to be really good but the Ally Mcbeal addiction has effected his playing).

Archtop Eddy · April 2013

Actually Ally McBeal is hell of a manouche guitarist...

And also, Gonzalo and his Quartet have played in Colorado. We (Mango fan Django) played with them at Crested Butte's Djangofest Colorado a couple of years ago and also opened for him in a concert the same week in Colorado Springs. Other GJers who have played in Colorado include: Robin Nolin Trio, Andreas Oberg, Kruno Spisic, Alfonso Ponticelli and his band, Daniel Lapp, Hot Club Sandwich, Mathieu Chatelain, Le Chat Lunatique, Carute Roma, ****, Jeff Radaich, Hot Club of Detroit, Tony Ballog, Simon Planting, John Friedrichs, Hot Club of Boulder, and others I may have missed. And then there's John Jorgenson and his band (including Kevin Nolan, Doug Martin, and Jason Anick), Joscho Stephan, and Olli Soikelli (courtesy of Aaron "kungfumonk" Walker later this year). Colorado has had three DjangoFest festivals, and two Gypsy Jazz in Paradise festivals, a Django festival in Manitou Springs, and at least three festivals hosted by the Hot Club of Boulder in Longmont, Colo. There are at least half dozen -- and I'm sure more -- Colorado-based Gypsy Jazz bands in Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Crested Butte, and more. And I know of at least one weekly jam in Colorado Springs. Gypsy Jazz is alive in Colorado; you just have to do a little digging to find it! AE

tmaccaferrian · April 2013

Here is one more voice in support of the Colorado scene. Gypsy Jazz is alive and well in the Rockies. I am not sure what type of scene you are looking for, nor do I know where you are in Colorado, but I am sure that Eddy, Aaron, or I could easily point you in the right direction. If you are looking for jams, other musicians, concerts, or lessons, it can all be found in Colorado. Please feel free to PM for more details. I enjoyed the wording of your post, it seemed a clever way to stir up the lurkers in the forum.

kungfumonk007 · April 2013

Goodness sakes Eddy, how are there all these festivals going on and I don't even know about them? I only knew about Crested Butte.

I've only been playing a handful of years though so I didn't know who Gonzalo was then. I would LOVE to hear him again with his quartet doing those freaking fantastic compositions from his Walking Home album. If you plan on bringing him back I'd work my butt off to make sure everyone I know shows up.

stevei · January 2016

hi tmaccaferrian,
I live in Boulder CO and I'm looking for a good gypsy jam in Colorado that would be good for beginner to intermediate players.
thanks,
steve

Hugh Huffaker · January 2016

I slightly agree with @djangoisgod. The only somewhat consistent jam I have found in Denver is on the 3rd Thursday of every month at strange grounds coffee. It's pretty hit or miss though and you should be ready to play some straight ahead jazz standards as well.

I think that we have some tremendously talented players and bands in Colorado, but the community jams seem to be lacking... Or maybe I have been looking in the wrong places. Elliot from Gypsy Swing Revue told me there used to be a very consistent jam, but there aren't any now. I think he said the bar they used to play at tried to start making the players pay money ... I can't remember. They gig every Wednesday at Irish Snug, always a fun show.

@tmaccaferrian, @kungfumonk007, @Archtop_Eddy - I'm hoping I'm wrong b/c I'd love to find a good jam somewhere around Denver. Any recommendations?

kungfumonk007 · January 2016

Hugh I tried really hard, had it going at Paris on the Platte - no one would show up, so we stopped - sometimes it would be me and only me. Seeing that we have become a stopping point for so many major acts you would think that the local community would be tighter locally but it just isn't.