"Celebrating Django Reinhardt's 100th birthday and centennial year: two romantic gypsy music inspired, genre-busting bands come together for the first time in San Francisco"
Two acoustic gypsy music groups, masters of guitar and violin, "The George Cole Quintet" and "Fishtank Ensemble" perform together for the first time in San Francisco at Noe Valley Ministries on Saturday, March 6th at 8:15 pm. The two bands decided to come to San Francisco and perform together to celebrate Django Reinhardt in his centennial year and the influence of his fast gypsy music on their melodies and rhythms. The fusion of gypsy, jazz, swing and pop music for both bands create genre-busting unique sounds that are unlike any other bands. Most of the music for the evening is original music but will also include some of Django's famous tunes. Fishtank Ensemble creates cross-pollinated gypsy music that include Romanian, Gypsy jazz, Flamenco, Balkan, Turkish and Tango influences. George Cole combines tunes reminiscent of The Great American Songbook, Hot Jazz, and European Gypsy sounds.
The acoustic music includes opera, jazz and gypsy vocals, musical saw, flamenco and gypsy guitar, violin, upright bass, percussion, and banjolele in different combinations on stage. These bands are known for their speed on the guitar and are a direct homage to Django Reinhardt who created a new way of playing in the 1930's and 1940's in Europe. Django Reinhardt taught himself to play the guitar and performed even though he only had the use of two fingers on his left hand due to a fire. Django was a virtuoso on the guitar and a composer who combined speed, melody, rhythm and precision. Django has inspired many guitarists to cover his songs and play guitar in the fashion that he conceived, fans and disciples include Jeff Beck, Charlie Christian and Les Paul.
The George Cole Quintet and Fishtank Ensemble chose to celebrate his music as part of a music series at San Francisco's Noe Valley Ministry which is a 110 year old Victorian Church in the Noe Valley Area that has the acoustics and setting that are perfect for the occasion. George Cole has been a guitar educator, historian, collector, and performer for more than 20 years. He's toured with Joe Walsh of the Eagles, Beatnik Beatch, Big Blue Hearts, Warren Zevon, Buster Poindexter, and Keely Smith. Fishtank Ensemble from Sacramento has been touring all over California and nationally since 2005.
Venue and Concert Info:
Noe Valley Music Series
Saturday, March 6
8:15 pm
$20 Advance/ $22 Door
1021 Sanchez St.
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 454-5238
Tickets and Info:
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