Deanna Knight and the Hot Club of Mars perform as part of April in Paris: A Gypsy Jazz Festival.
Van Django, the Hot Club of Mars, The Bills and The Lawless Firm perform as part of April in Paris: A Gypsy Jazz Festival.
The three-day event takes place April 26-28 at St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Ave.). Find out more below.
The Bills—The folk/rock acoustic group has two previous JUNO nominations and multiple Western Canadian Music Awards to its name. For this April in Paris show, The Bills will showcase their arrangements and compositions in the European/Romany (Gypsy) jazz realm. Featuring players and soloists Richard Moody on the violin and Marc Atkinson on the guitar, the quintet will satisfy listeners looking for the true romance and deep swing of traditional Eastern European and Gypsy jazz sounds. (April 26)
The Bills.
Deanna Knight and the Hot Club of Mars/The Lawless Firm—This double-bill features Deanna Knight and the Hot Club of Mars, a tradition at the festival. One of Vancouver’s most eclectic gypsy swing ensembles, the Hot Club takes listeners back to the early acoustic swing era of the 1920s & 30s. Vocalist Deanna Knight provides sassy and sultry vocals alongside the band’s Django Reinhardt rhythms in a repertoire ranging from historical tangos written in the early 1900s to contemporary songs of today. The Lawless Firm, meanwhile, is the new Gypsy jazz group on the block. Members include guitarist Michael Dunn, a fixture in Vancouver’s Gypsy jazz world from its beginnings in the late sixties, and singer Eleanore Dunn, whose repertoire encompasses music from the American songbook. The group will feature some original Django pieces. (April 27)
Van Django—This acoustic string ensemble’s music is rooted in the Gypsy jazz of 1930’s Paris France. Beyond that, they deliver driving rhythms in original compositions and arrangements. Nick Lehr, director of Djangofest Northwest, said: “In an increasingly crowded niche, Van Django is a standout act. Attending a Van Django concert is the most fun you can have sitting down with your clothes on.”
April in Paris: A Gypsy Jazz Festival.
When: April 26-28
Where: St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Ave.)
Tickets: $28 – $33 available at roguefolk.bc.ca, in person at Highlife Records and Tapestry Music, or call the Rogue Ticket Hotline at 604-736-3022
