Pearl Django With Special Guest Larry Coryell

The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley presents gypsy jazz artists Pearl Django with special guest guitarist Larry Coryell for six nights. Band members include Neil Andersson (guitar), and Ryan Hoffman (guitar), Rick Leppanen (bass) Michael Gray (violin), and David Lange (accordion). Set times on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday at 7:30, Thursday - Saturday at 7:30pm and 10:00pm. Doors at 6pm on Tuesday and 5:30 Wednesday - Sunday.
Seattle-based Pearl Django swings in 2010 for six nights at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley with special guest, guitarist, Larry Coryell, one of the worlds acknowledged guitar masters. He has recorded more than 75 albums over the past 40 years as a bandleader, soloist and 'featured accompanist'. Hailed by his legion of fans as one of "the guitar gods" in the late 1970's and as a "truly Renaissance musician who excels at all styles of playing", he has also been christened as "a true pioneer of rock-jazz fusion" by the New York Times, and dubbed "the Godfather of Fusion" by Dan Ouellette of Down Beat Magazine.
Coryell, 63, has played pop music with the 5th Dimension; rock with Cream bassist Jack Bruce, and jazz with Charles Mingus. Coryell also led his own influential fusion band during the 1970's. The 11th House featured fellow pioneers like original Weather Report drummer Alphonse Mouzon and Brecker Brothers trumpeter Randy Brecker. Even Coryell's main influences are a variety-packed trio - country icon Chet Atkins, rock pioneer Chuck Berry, and jazz legend Wes Montgomery.
The music pioneered by Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and his partner in swing, violinist Stephane Grappelli, is still utter bliss in the esteemed hands of Pearl Django, now celebrating their fifteenth year of performing and recording. With a continuously fresh and entrancing sound, bands like Pearl Django rejuvenate a love and talent for "Gypsy swing," a style that was once the height of sophistication. With urbanity, romance, and a sense of urgency, the music of Pearl Django reaches out to the sophisticates of a new millennium as something joyful and timeless. Gypsy jazz and "hot club" music has been enjoying a major resurgence across the United States and Pearl Django continues to be one of the busiest proponents of that style. Pearl Django's followers include Reinhardt and Grappelli fans, guitarists and guitar enthusiasts who relish nimble and intricate picking, world music fans drawn to French and Gypsy accents, plus jazz buffs and aficionados of the swing scene.
By inviting Larry Coryell to join them, Pearl Django is continuing their January tradition of having the best of Gypsy jazz along with an exceptional star guest to begin the New Year. Prior guest artists have included Howard Alden, Robin Nolan, Frank Vignola, Patrick Saussois and Ken Peplowski.