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| Acclaimed Gypsy Jazz Guitarist Stephane Wrembel Confirmed for Unprecedented Five Night Stand at Amoeba Music Hollywood July 7 Through 11, 2005 Amoeba Music confirmed that acclaimed French guitarist and Hot Club of New York founding member STEPHANE WREMBEL is the featured artist in an unprecedented 5-day residency at Amoeba Music Hollywood celebrating the tradition and virtuosity of Gypsy Jazz guitar. Wrembel is the first-ever artist to perform an extended in-store residency at the celebrated independent music store in Hollywood. Wrembel jams with his trio in five tour de force performances blending jazz, world, bluegrass, folk, Latino and rock traditions on July 7, 8 and 11 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and again on July 9 & 10 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.; each performance comprises two 40-minute sets. Performances are free; tickets not required. The residency is part of an ongoing commitment by Amoeba Music to showcase emerging artists and their music. In addition to his performances, Wrembel's residency includes two on-site Gypsy Jazz guitar workshops by the artist during his 5-day tenure. The first is held on Friday, July 8th from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and focuses on rhythm; the second is held on Sunday, July 10th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., focusing on improvisation. The workshops are open to a limited number of people selected through a contest on AmoebaMusic.com beginning on Wednesday, June 29th. Taking the commitment to this extraordinary artist one step further, Amoeba will film and record these in-store performances for inclusion in a documentary about the exciting and culturally diverse musical tradition of Gypsy Jazz. Raised in Fontainebleau, France, just outside of Paris, 28-year-old Wrembel began his guitar studies as a boy, using a cheap electric guitar given to him by his parents. He was first introduced to Gypsy Jazz while studying at the American School of Music in Paris in his early twenties, a pivotal time in his musical career. "A whole new world of sound was revealed to me the moment I heard my first Gypsy Jazz song, " Wrembel says of the first time he heard "Minor Swing" by legendary the Django Reinhardt. "I fell in love with the music and dedicated my life to playing it." Wrembel started his own music school, Musique Pour Tous (Music for All), in 1994, teaching guitar, harmony and composition. He discovered his true calling, Gypsy Jazz, at the International Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois, France, learning the art of Gypsy jazz guitar, traveling and playing with gypsies in the campsites of Paris. While still regularly playing in the gypsy camps, Wrembel brought the music away from the campfires to festivals and clubs around France, making a name on the festival circuit performing traditional and Django-inspired Gypsy Jazz. His quartet, Manoque, was awarded Best Young Band at Festival Jazz d'Avon in 1999 and in 2000. Wrembel performed at the Tzigane Circus for the "Festival of the Imagination, " the Jazzforville Festival, and appears annually at the Django Reinhardt Festival. In 2000, after finishing his studies in arranging and composition at the American School of Modern Music in Paris, Wrembel moved to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music on an International Scholarship. He recently graduated with a Professional Diploma in Performance, plays regularly in and around New York, and recently completed recording his first US album. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |