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If you are looking
for something special, something with verve and panache … something that
will dress up a special event, compliment a reception, or add just a
touch of the European to a wonderful evening… Consider the music of
Pearl Django!
Celebrating more
than 11 years in existence Pearl Django continues to be one of America’s
busiest Hot Club style groups. Their music reaches out across the
divides of taste to a wide variety of audiences. The band's fervent
followers include Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli fans, guitar
enthusiasts (and guitarists!), lovers of string music, including
bluegrass devotees, who relish nimble, clean, intricate picking, "world
music" fans drawn to French and Gypsy accents, plus jazz buffs and
aficionados of the new swing music. Transcending simple categorization,
Pearl Django packs in enthusiastic audiences at dancehalls and
nightclubs, at folk music events and jazz festivals alike.
The group’s
inception was as a trio in Tacoma, Washington in 1994. The focus of
Pearl Django was, and is, to incorporate the music of Django Reinhardt
and Stephane Grappelli with American swing music. They quickly expanded
to a quintet, adding a violinist and a third guitarist. An interview on
NPR’s All Things Considered in 2001 brought the group to national
attention. Currently Pearl Django is working as a quartet, occasionally
performing with guest artists. All of the members are contributing
original compositions to the band’s expansive repertoire. They have
released 7 CDs to date with number 8 due in the spring of 2005. In June
2002, Pearl Django performed at the prestigious Festival Django
Reinhardt in Samois sur Seine, just outside of Paris, France.
“If Paris is the city of love, then Pearl Django’s music is
the flirtatious accompaniment.”
—6Moons.com
(review of Under Paris Skies)
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Neil Andersson – Guitar
Neil's first instrument was violin, but he became enamored with guitar
in high school and formed several dance bands. In 1964 he joined the
well-known Northwest group, the Fabulous Wailers. On his journey toward
being a jazz guitarist, he continued doing session work and playing in
rock groups, recording for United Artists, Janus Records, Etiquette
Records, and Riverton Records. In 1986 he was inducted into the
Northwest Music Awards ‘Hall of Fame.’
Paralleling his music career is his career as a visual artist. He
received his Master of Fine Arts in painting and drawing from the School
of the Art Institute of Chicago, and holds undergraduate degrees from
the University of Washington and the University of Puget Sound. He has
been featured in exhibitions in the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia,
Indiana, and Illinois. His paintings and drawings can be seen on his web
site, NeilAndersson.com.
In addition to his activities as a producing visual and recording artist
he has been an educator, teaching visual art part-time at Pierce
College, The University of Puget Sound, Tacoma Community College and
Highline Community College. He taught full-time for seven years in both
visual and performing arts at the Puyallup Tribe of Indians’ Chief
Leschi School.
In 1993 he began a collaboration with Dudley Hill that led to the
formation of Pearl Django. In 2003 Neil released his first solo CD,
C’est si bon, on Modern Hot Records. He continues his interest in
painting, studying the music of Django Reinhardt and recording and
performing with Pearl Django. Neil plays guitars by Shelley D. Park,
Selmer (1946, #596) and Busato (1940s). He uses Savarez Argentine and
Dell’ Arte strings, and picks by Michel Wegen. Photo by Jim Mercure. |
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Michael Gray – Violin
Initially a self-taught instrumentalist, Michael learned to play violin
while homesteading in Alaska. Michael is originally from Philadelphia.
Since moving to the Puget Sound area, he has kept busy performing and
recording with groups including Highwire, Grass Backwards, Quo ad Hoc,
Point No Point and Odd Men Out. Michael is an accomplished composer and
has recently acquired part-time teaching positions at Cornish College
and the University of Washington. Photo by Jim Mercure. |
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Rick Leppanen – Double Bass
A native of Marquette, Michigan, Rick has a degree in mathematics and a
minor in music from Northern Michigan University. His playing experience
includes rock (he started as a rock ‘n’ roll guitarist at age 17),
country, and jazz bands. He has been a jazz educator, teaching in the
Marquette public schools under a grant from the NEA and Michigan Council
for the Arts, and also taught at the Michigan Tech. Summer Youth Program
for seven years. He has toured nationally with show groups, and for the
past 19 years has freelanced as a jazz bassist in the Seattle area. Rick
recorded with the group Room to Move, with blues guitarist Eric Madis,
and others, and has been a member of Pearl Django since June 1998. Photo
by Jim Mercure. |
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Greg Ruby – Guitar
Greg Ruby began playing the music of Django Reinhardt while travelling
the country and working as a street performer. After settling in
Seattle, he found himself in the midst of the Northwest Gypsy jazz
scene. As the rhythm guitarist for Pearl Django, he has traveled
throughout the United States and Europe and has appeared on two of the
band's recordings; Under Paris Skies and Swing 48. In addition to
playing with Pearl Django, he performs and records with the Gypsy jazz
group Hot Club Sandwich. Greg holds a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies
from Cornish College of the Arts and teaches guitar in the Seattle area.
In 2003, he created the Pearl Django Play-Along Songbook published
through Djangobooks.com. Photo by Jim Mercure. |
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