Dave Kelbie

Two worlds of acoustic jazz meet in this quartet: guitarist Fapy Lafertin, a leading figure in European gypsy jazz, and British clarinetist and singer Adrian Cox, steeped in the New Orleans tradition. Fapy's lyrical virtuosity finds a natural counterpart in Adrian's expressive phrasing, while his vocals bring another colour to the repertoire.

Alongside them, rhythm guitarist Dave Kelbie and double bassist Sébastien Girardot form a supple acoustic rhythm section. Without drums, the four musicians favour attentive listening, melodic conversation and the lift of swing. Drawing on Django Reinhardt, classic-jazz melodies and New Orleans influences, their concert celebrates distinct musical personalities without losing the collective spirit: elegant, lively and direct music with ample room for improvisation.

Tcha Limberger’s violin, guitar and voice meet the swing clarinet and saxophone of Engelbert Wrobel in an acoustic quartet driven by the rhythm of Dave Kelbie on guitar and Sébastien Girardot on double bass. Without drums, the sound stays clear and alive.

From the New Orleans repertoire to the swing of the 1930s, from the world of Django Reinhardt to more intimate European melodies, the group travels with great freedom of play and a keen sense of dialogue between musicians.

Perfect for clubs, theatres and listening rooms where every nuance deserves to be heard.

Four musicians, no piano or drums — yet the sound and vitality of a much larger band. In The Viper Club, Tcha Limberger’s violin and Jérôme Etcheberry’s trumpet challenge, answer and inspire one another. Tcha also sings, bringing storytelling, scat and an irresistible sense of fun to the music, while Dave Kelbie’s guitar and Sébastien Girardot’s double bass supply a beautifully flexible pulse.

The starting point is the small-group New York swing of Stuff Smith and Jonah Jones, but the destination is never predetermined. Inventive arrangements, improvised counterpoint and collective bursts of energy make every performance an encounter rather than a reconstruction. Their album Tain’t No Use captures the group's vitality and has attracted outstanding reviews in The Times and Jazz Lives.

Don Vappie is more than an exceptional banjo player. A singer and storyteller with deep roots in New Orleans Creole culture, he gives every song a voice and a personality of its own. Winner of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize (2021) and inducted into the American Banjo Hall of Fame (2022), he carries forward a rich musical heritage without treating it as a museum piece.

With David Horniblow on clarinet, Dave Kelbie on guitar and Sébastien Girardot on double bass, Jazz Créole explores the remarkable sound of New Orleans's early string bands. The banjo supplies drive and sparkle; blues-inflected guitar, lyrical clarinet and supple double bass form an intimate, deeply swinging conversation. Creole songs, traditional jazz, blues, spirituals, Caribbean influences and Don's own compositions bring different sides of that musical history to life.

Behind the elegance lies a bold rhythmic idea: tracing the connections between early string-band pulse, second-line rhythms and the grooves that later shaped New Orleans R&B and funk. Joyful, generous and unmistakably personal, this is living Creole music performed by four musicians who know how to tell a story together.

Six musicians, each distinctive enough to command a stage alone: guitarist Fapy Lafertin; Tcha Limberger on violin and vocals; accordionist Roberto Gervasi; clarinettist Adrian Cox; and the extraordinary guitar-and-bass partnership of Dave Kelbie and Sébastien Girardot. Together they create an acoustic ensemble of remarkable variety, moving from one instrumental colour to another as ideas pass between the soloists.

Rooted in Django Reinhardt's legacy but open to the wider languages of European swing, the sextet puts melody and collective invention before display. La Compagnie Royale du Swing Manouche is a large-scale encounter between individual musical personalities — an event built on the pleasure of hearing them play together.