The London Django Collective at Vortex Jazz Club

The grand opening of the inaugural Gypsy Jazz Festival of London, hosted by the London Django Collective.

London Django Collective

LDC are the young lions of the UK scene. A supergroup of some of the finest players around today, the collective represents the state of the art of modern Gypsy Jazz. Having been playing together for a while in one way or another, from jamming through the night at the campsites of Samoreau to gigs across the world in one of the many bands they represent, the collective formed in late 2018 to bottle the London sound.

The music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, since codified as Gypsy jazz, has always had a place in the hearts of the traditionalists but the London Django Collective has a vision of progression. Django was himself a pioneer and innovator, and there have always been forward-moving musicians in the style alongside the purists ever since the slow-burning revival began in the 70s, even if often sidelined by mainstream jazz. In the 00s greats like Biréli Lagrène were showing just how far the music could go, and for the last ten years there has been a serious modern scene in Paris; LDC is here to show that London, and the UK, can play....

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The grand opening of the inaugural Gypsy Jazz Festival of London, hosted by the London Django Collective.

London Django Collective

LDC are the young lions of the UK scene. A supergroup of some of the finest players around today, the collective represents the state of the art of modern Gypsy Jazz. Having been playing together for a while in one way or another, from jamming through the night at the campsites of Samoreau to gigs across the world in one of the many bands they represent, the collective formed in late 2018 to bottle the London sound.

The music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, since codified as Gypsy jazz, has always had a place in the hearts of the traditionalists but the London Django Collective has a vision of progression. Django was himself a pioneer and innovator, and there have always been forward-moving musicians in the style alongside the purists ever since the slow-burning revival began in the 70s, even if often sidelined by mainstream jazz. In the 00s greats like Biréli Lagrène were showing just how far the music could go, and for the last ten years there has been a serious modern scene in Paris; LDC is here to show that London, and the UK, can play.

The collective has been releasing EPs showcasing each of the five core composers in turn, playing at festivals across Europe such as the Festival Django Reinhardt de Samois (France) and the Torino Jazz Festival (Italy) and venues up and down the UK. Together they are a tour-de-force of musicianship and communion.

GJFL

Showcasing the world’s finest forward-thinking Gypsy and chamber jazz artists, pushing the boundaries of the uniquely European genre over two weeks in May.

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