Gyspy Jazz Festivals in the US

Craig Bumgarner

I'm putting together a list of gypsy jazz festivals in the US, wondering what I might have missed:

Django in June (3rd week of June)
Djangofest Mill Valley (early June)
Djangofest NW (3rd week of September)
Djangofest Colorado (mid June)
Stephane Wrembel's Django A-GO-GO in NYC (January)
Django Jamboree, Louisville, KY (early November)
Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest (Mid Sept, next weekend!)
Chicago Gypsy Jazz Festival (early October)
Djangofest Las Vegas (mid June)
Django Festival at Birdland, NYC (early November).

There are festivals and then there are FESTIVALS! Some of the above are gypsy jazz concerts without a lot of opportunity to mix with players and performers. Some are player's festivals where players and performers mix, jam, spend a couple days together like Django in June or Djangofest NW. I have some idea which are which, but wonder which of the above would you consider "player's" festivals.

Craig

Bones

I thought that there used to be one in So Cal???

Jazzaferri

DFNW is IMO the definition of a players festival.

Victoria Django Fest ( I know its Canada but we're closer to Seattle than all but DFNW) is an extended concert really. There are a few after hours jams and it may change next year but? Not sure when it will be but the first two were mid February.

adrian

Hey, great idea, Craig. One small addition: there are *two* Midwest Gypsy Swing Festivals in Madison. One is in September, as you noted, but there's also a Midwest Midwinter Gypsy Swing Festival in February. Same organizer (the Harmonious Wail folks).

Craig Bumgarner

Thanks guys. As far as I know, the Djangofest LA and southern California did not "stick" but I have nothing authoritative on that, just what I found searching. I'm a whole continent from LA, but would love to go someday.

DragonPL

The was supposed to be one in Pennsylvania in may I think but it got cancelled do to organizers personal issues .... it's due to be rescheduled though. .. http://djangogypsyfest.com/home/

thecytochromec

There was one just recently in Fort Worth, Texas. It's going on to its 14th consecutive year. It's three days long in January with multiple bands, food and drinks. 25$ was the entry fee each day unless you bought all three days, and drinks and food were by donation.

I wasn't able to attend the concerts but I made a point to attend the guitar workshops. Kim Platko of String Theory Manouche said he didn't mind that I was the only student in the workshop and I got a private lesson - at $20 it was a steal.

http://www.artsfifthavenue.org/event-history.php

I hope to see some of you there next year!

bbwood_98

I would add that there was one in Brooklyn NY for a while. . . but is now defunct. Django Jamboree is an amazing fest. that and DFNW are my two favorite in the USA.

teletodd

There should be one in Cleveland. Django played his first US show with Duke Ellington in Cleveland.

thecytochromec

Hocus Pocus!

I just revived this old thread to spread the word Django Fest in Ft. Worth Texas is THIS WEEKEND.

As there was last year, there will be guitar lessons. I'm signed up and to be perfectly honest, I hope I'm the only one because it will give me some quality time with some quality players to learn. But I won't be that selfish and I'll try and spread the word a bit.

nomadgtr

Separate from the Djangofest in Colorado listed above (Denver), there is also now Crested Butte:
http://www.crestedbuttemusicfestival.org/gypsy-jazz/