The following is from The Maplewood Office of Cultural Affairs
Photo from mt.com
Beginning February 28th, guitarists from around the globe will descend on Maplewood for the chance to learn from and listen to some of the greatest living acoustic guitar players as they celebrate the musical legacy of Gypsy Jazz legend Django Reinhardt (pronounced Jango).
This one-of-a-kind “Music Camp” is a first-class program designed to provide musicians of all levels access to the greatest instruction and teachers available. The schedule is available below as well as sponsorship information for local businesses. For concert tickets and to learn more go to https://www.mt.cm/django-gogo-2017-music-festival-and-camp
The Camp is part of the Django A-Go-Go Festival founded by renowned guitarist and Maplewood resident Stephane Wrembel. Wrembel will be joined for this weeklong series of master classes, seminars and educational forums by a “who’s who” of internationally acclaimed artists. This includes Dutch-born virtuoso Stochelo Rosenberg, considered the world’s leading proponent of gypsy jazz guitar style, and Al DiMiola, a genuine icon of 70’s Jazz Fusion and five time winner of Guitar Player Magazine’s Readers Poll for Best Jazz Guitarist.
Other artists participating in the festival include: Alfonso Ponticelli, Paulus Schäfer, Larry Keel, Juanito Pascual, David Gastine, Olli Soikkeli, Thor Jensen, Denis Chang and Sara L’Abriola.
The Music Camp has attracted over 60 regional and international students, instructors and performers. With guitarists coming from France, England, Australia, Chile, The Netherlands and across the United States, Maplewood NJ will for one week be the epicenter of the acoustic guitar world.
In addition to the daytime camp activities, the Django A-Go-Go Festival continues each evening with a series of concerts at The Woodland beginning at 8:00 PM.
Tuesday February 28
Opening Night Performance
Stephane Wrembel, Sara L’Abriola, and special guests
Wednesday March 1
Django Flamenco!
Alfonso Ponticelli and Juanito Pascual
Thursday March 2
Olli Soikkeli and Rhythm Future Quartet
Friday March 3
Django A-Go-Go at Carnegie Hall
On Friday March 3rd, Wrembel and company will head to
Manhattan for an all-star concert at Carnegie Hall
Saturday March 4
Paulus Schafer and Special Guests
Sunday March 5 at 11:00 AM
Student Performances Free to the Public
Django A-Go-Go in Maplewood
Activities in Maplewood will take place at The Woodland and Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts. Camp will begin at 9:00 AM and break for lunch at 12:30 PM. Returning at 2:00 PM, students will work until 6:00 PM, take a break for dinner and be back at the Woodland for 8:00 PM performances.
ALL THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THE CAMP AND FESTIVAL WILL BE DINING AND SHOPPING LOCALLY. RESTAURANT OWNERS AND MERCHANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO WORK WITH THE ORGANIZERS TO PROMOTE THEIR BUSINESSES AND MAKE SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR OUT OF TOWN VISITORS.
Sponsorships, volunteer and marketing opportunities are available. For more information, contact:
Chris Hessman chrishessman@gmail.com or 212 256-1863
More information about the Django A-Go-Go Music Camp and Festival can be found at:
https://www.djangoagogo.com/music-camp/
Who was Django Reinhardt?
Regarded as one of the greatest guitar players of all time, Django Reinhardt (1910-1953) was a hugely influential jazz artist whose unique, technically groundbreaking style spawned a musical genre all its own.
“Django Reinhardt remains the greatest jazz musician Europe ever produced and the most celebrated icon of the Gypsies. That he was able to revolutionize guitar playing with only two functioning fingers on his left hand – he lost the others in a fire – only adds to his legend.
In fact, Reinhardt was the stuff of legend. Jeff Beck, a guitarist with more than a passing acquaintance with dazzling technique, called him “by far the most astonishing guitar player ever … Django was quite superhuman, there’s nothing normal about him as a person or a player.”
Pretty much every guitar maestro has paid homage: BB King, Julian Bream, Hank Marvin, Robert Fripp and Carlos Santana are all fans; Jimi Hendrix formed his Band of Gypsies in honor of Reinhardt.” The Guardian Newspaper 2010
