DJANGO A GOGO® 2023

Since 2003, guitarist/composer/teacher Stephane Wrembel has produced the Django a Gogo Music Festival and Guitar Camp celebrating the life and music of legendary guitarist/composer, Django Reinhardt. The annual week-long event is held in Wrembel’s hometown of Maplewood, New Jersey, with the grand finalé on the stage of prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and The Town Hall.  As the musical director, Wrembel brings together some of the finest musicians in the world to celebrate the Sinti guitar style in both live performances and education.  The concert repertoire follows the Django canon and veers into reinterpretation, improvisation, and interplay between musicians from various backgrounds and instruments. Past performers include Sam Bush, Stochelo Rosenburg, Simba Baumgartner (Django’s great grandson), Al Di Meola, Aurore Voilque, Paulus Schaefer, Samy Daussat, and more.

Wrembel is one of the most highly regarded guitarists in the world specialized in the style of legendary composer/guitarist Django Reinhardt. Born in Fountainebleau, France, Stephane learned his craft traveling the French countryside before graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has had a remarkable career, touring the world, while releasing 17 albums under his name and the nom de plume, The Django Experiment.  His most recent release, Django New Orleans (May 2023) features his 9 piece, NYC-based specialty group of the same name. Wrembel’s original compositions have been featured in Midnight in Paris (“Bistro Fada”), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (“Big Brother”) and Rifkin’s Festival (original score).   Midnight in Paris received the Grammy Award® for “Best Compilation Soundtrack.” Wrembel has opened or performed with Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, The Roots, Medeski Martin & Wood, Me’shell Ndegeocello, John Schofield, Larry Keel, Stochelo Rosenberg, Sam Bush and more.

Quotes:

"Perhaps the most creative improviser in Gypsy jazz today, Mr. Wrembel plays the guitar with a rich and colorful lyricism." – New York Times

"Stephane Wrembel just might be the greatest acoustic guitarist alive."—The Aquarian

"For North Americans, Stephane Wrembel represents the living face of gypsy jazz."--New York Observer

"...a  true gypsy guitar master. His band of accomplished artists unveiled a seemingly effortless, unspoken musical thread, and shared an untouchable virtuoso mastery of an underappreciated genre of jazz. Wrembel’s clear passion, superb tonality and stunning finger work make the most mind-blowing guitar lines appear elementary...A wonderful celebration of pure musical spirit." –Music Connection

"The mind-bendingly rapid melodies Stephane provided to the set’s final song were an exclamation point for an audience that was enthralled for 60 minutes of unforgettable music."—Parklife DC