Jazz Series: Django Festival Allstars Featuring Samson Schmitt, Ludovic Beier, and Pierre Blanchard

Legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt's unmistakable cool and jumpin' joie de vivre made him an icon for generations of artists, from Les Paul and Chet Atkins to Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton. Jimi Hendrix named his "big band of gypsies" in tribue, and Willie Nelson adopted his influence in country-swing. 

Direct-lineage inheritors of Reinhardt's genius, the Django Festival Allstars have taken America by storm, performing to standing ovations at top concert halls and festivals include SFJazz, Kennedy Center, Birdland, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Montreal Jazz Festival and Carnegie Hall. Summoning sonic memories of Paris in the 190s and '30s, the Django Festival Allstars bring this music to today, in a heady mix of sizzling swing and ballads that will break your heart.