Among
nomadic peoples like the gypsies, the oral tradition is central to keeping a
heritage alive. Customs, beliefs, stories and, of course, music must be passed
down from one generation to the next, always honored but continuously evolved
and updated as time marches on. With their new album, Attitude Manouche
(available June 15 on Resilience Music Alliance),
the Django Festival AllStars carry on that tradition in their own way, as
modern-day virtuoso Samson Schmitt steps into the crucial lead guitar role long
held by his father, legendary gypsy jazz guitarist Dorado Schmitt.
Attitude
Manouche reveals that Samson Schmitt has inherited those vital qualities, and
brings them to a thrilling new take on the gypsy jazz tradition. The Django
Festival AllStars reinterpret Django Reinhardt’s vision through a set of new
music that carries forward their namesake’s vision in a way that both honors
his legacy while giving them a thoroughly contemporary twist.
While the
AllStars’ name represents a community of gifted artists who collaborate in
different line-ups depending on the performance, the quintet on Attitude Manouche
have forged a distinctive voice together as all are featured soloist which join
Schmitt. Ludovic Beier is a renowned accordionist and player of the accordina,
Pierre Blanchard a virtuoso of the violin and Grappelli prodigy, Dou Dou
Cuillerier – scat singer and rhythm guitarist, and the only Italian – Antonio
Licusati on bass: five master musicians with their own innovative voices within
this storied tradition.
“We have a
great passion for playing music together and for trying to create a new sound,”
Beier says. “Every musician is different, but we’ve succeeded in creating a
common music together that lets everybody express ourselves very well. That’s
really important and also very rare.”
The title of
Attitude Manouche reflects the fact that while these French and Italian
musicians may not share Reinhardt’s Manouche heritage by blood, they all
reflect that heritage in their souls. That’s abundantly clear in the set of
mostly original music that makes up the album, which fluidly and spiritedly
combines the gypsy jazz tradition with influences from modern jazz, classical
music, other world music, and even film scores.
The latter
comes to the fore on the album’s sole non-original tune, the main theme from
John Williams’ Academy Award-winning score for Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s
List. The AllStars’ rendition not only moving renders an achingly beautiful
piece of music, but pays heartfelt tribute to the gypsy people who were victims
of the Nazi regime. “A lot of gypsies were deported to concentration camps
along with the Jewish community,” Beier explains. “We wanted to pay tribute to
that very dark period of history, so we decided to create an arrangement for
that song mixing gypsy swing with Jewish traditional music, spearheaded by
violinist Pierre Blanchard.” This track in particular coincides strongly with
the mission of Resilience Music Alliance, founded by social and political
activist Steve Ruchefsky, in celebrating the human driven condition of
resilience.
The album
opens with Samson Schmitt’s buoyant title track, which in itself is almost a
mission statement, fully representing the classic gypsy swing sound but with a
modern-day edge. “In that song we can recognize a lot of the gypsy jazz swing
and harmonies,” Beier says, “but this is definitely something composed in 2018.
It pays tribute to tradition but is open to our own time. That’s our attitude.”
Beier’s
lively “Late Train” takes a similar approach, briskly combining the Reinhardt
sound with ideas from ‘60s-era jazz greats like Wes Montgomery and George
Benson. Another legend is paid explicit homage on “Around Toots,” as the
accordionist pays touching homage to the late harmonica master Toots
Thielemann, with whom Beier had the honor and pleasure of performing. “Laugh
With Charlie” winks at the complex figure of filmmaker, comedian and composer
Charlie Chaplin in a piece that combines jazz and classical influences with a
necessary sense of joyous humor, composed by Samson Schmitt.
Other
cultural traditions blend into the sound on tracks like the sultry “Troublant
Romeo,” (also by Blanchard) a simmering tango that heats up for some intense
soloing. Blanchard’s “Balkanic Dance” finds an unexpected common ground between
the gypsy sound and Turkish folk music. The album closes with Beier’s “Tsigane
Fantasy,” a reference to the band’s European heritage that takes its name from
the generic European word for “gypsy.”
While
audiences always thrill at the AllStars’ ability to take blistering runs at
breakneck speeds, the band is equally adept at pulling at their listeners’
heartstrings. Take Schmitt’s “Lovely Wife,” a tender ballad that wrings maximum
emotion from a plainspoken melody. “Nocturne” is another relaxed Blanchard tune
that feels like the wind-down of a hectic day, the perfect soundtrack for a
moment’s pause to reflect as the sun begins to set.
The Django
Festival AllStars’ eclectic and forward-looking repertoire reimagines
Reinhardt’s pioneering sound for modern ears, and in that way, is a fitting
tribute to the icon whose name they proudly bear. “Django passed away more than
50 years ago,” says Pat Philips-Stratta, who produced the album. “But I think
if he was here today he would be exploring new fields and bringing them into his
music. We add new experiences and new influences, but when the audience listens
to our music they can hear Django Reinhardt’s legacy. That’s very important to
us.”
The release
of Attitude Manouche is preceded by a very special concert at Carnegie Hall in
New York City on May 1. With Forever Django: Passing the Torch, the AllStars
will celebrate the mantle being handed down from father to sons – not only
Samson, but also his younger brother, guitarist Amati Schmitt. Both generations
will share the stage along with special guests including GRAMMY® Award-winning
vocalist Melody Gardot and top clarinetist Ken Peplowski. Additionally, up and
coming vocalist Veronica Swift will appear as a guest. The concert will be
dedicated to the late Ettore Stratta, the conductor, pianist, composer and
producer who created the Django Reinhardt Festival along with his wife, Pat
Philips-Stratta.
Django
Festival AllStars · Attitude Manouche
Resilience
Music Alliance · Release Date: June 15, 2018
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