Harris Center Presents Django Festival All-Stars

"On this stage, you see...five gypsies!" Carrying forward the "Hot Jazz" legacy of the great Django Reinhardt, this internationally renowned group features one of Europe's greatest musical families, guitarist/violinist Dorado Schmitt and his son Amati. The family is joined by virtuoso violinist Pierre Blanchard and accordionist extraordinaire Ludovic Beier, who "played as great a solo on his accordion as Toots Thielemans at his zenith" (Downbeat). "Dorado Schmitt's virtuosity was on full display via lightning-fast finger work, powerful strumming, wild sweeps across the fingerboard and astonishingly fast tempos. Schmitt displayed complete mastery of Gypsy jazz guitar technique" (Los Angeles Times).

The "hardest swinging band at the Newport Festival" (Downbeat), DJANGO FESTIVAL ALL-STARS perform on Stage One of the Harris Center on Wednesday, November 28, 2018, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $22-$42; Premium $48. Students with ID $12. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 12 noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

The genre "hot jazz" harkens back to the 30's and 40's in Europe where Django Reinhardt teamed with top jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli. Together, they created The Hot Club Quintette of France, which many have called the greatest musical partnership in the history of European jazz. The Django Festival All-Stars follow in these footsteps, taking the music beyond with original compositions and hip improvisations, while always incorporating some of Django's most timeless work. With roots in American popular music and a reverence for Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, the ensemble swings like crazy and then breaks your heart with a ballad - it's "the greatest jazz show in town" (Wall Street Journal). The band grew out of the successful Django Reinhardt Festival, now in its 18th successful season from its home at Birdland.

The star of the evening, Dorado Schmitt, hails from the Lorraine region of France, a Manouche gypsy legend in the style of Django himself. Joining Dorado onstage is Ludovic Beier (above) and the sensational Pierre Blanchard on violin. On rhythm, gypsy great Francko Mehrstein (Dorado's cousin) also from France, is joined by top Italian bassist Antonio Licusati and Dorado's young son, Amati Schmitt, now 21, a virtuoso and rising star.

This Year Marks Eight Seasons of Great Shows. Up Close. In Folsom!

The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences featuring the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts over 400 events attracting more than 150,000 annually.

Tickets are available online at www.HarrisCenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time.

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