Arts & Entertainment Bainbridge Island
Friday, January 24, 2014 • Bainbridge Island Review
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Gypsy jazz finds a home in Lynwood
Special concert celebrates Django Reinhardt
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What’s happening FILM AND DISCUSSION
BY LUCIANO MARANO Bainbridge Island Review
The free-spirited gypsy sound of early 20th century Europe has come to Bainbridge Island, and it seems to be right at home. The Bainbridge-based jazz band Ranger & the Re-Arrangers, along with several special guests, will perform in honor of the 104th birthday of legendary gypsy jazz man Django Reinhardt in what promises to be an exciting and informative celebration of the international musical genre. Gypsy jazz, the unique sound inspired by the work of early American jazz masters infused with European dance hall waltzes and gypsy folk tunes, will be center stage at the Treehouse Café in downtown Lynwood Saturday, Feb. 1. “Part of what I enjoy about this event is making it a varied experience for the audience,” said Ranger Sciacca, Time to Django the group’s frontman. “And What: Gypsy jazz exposing them concert celebrating to lots of differthe legacy of Django Reinhardt ent musicians When: 8 p.m. Saturday playing lots of different instru- Feb. 1 ments, to really Where: Treehouse Café (4569 Lynwood make it like an old-time variety Center Rd. NE) Admission: Free. show.” Of course, the Donations accepted. true star of the show is Django. Django Reinhardt, the father of gypsy jazz, was an itinerant gypsy who earned international acclaim in the 1930s for his uniquely European brand of jazz. Many of his compositions became classics, and he is considered today to be one of the most influential guitar players of all time. “It has its roots in America but it came together overseas,” Sciacca said of gypsy jazz. “Django is considered the father of gypsy jazz. He heard American jazz recordings and artists who were touring in Europe and he said, ‘I want to play that stuff.’ Of course, coming from the background he came from, he brought some of that dance hall and gypsy musical tradition to American-style jazz when he started to play it.” Reinhardt’s influence extends beyond just the jazz genre, though, and he has been cited by the likes of Duke Ellington and Jerry Garcia as an inspiration. “He was really one of the very first people to be playing a guitar solo,” Sciacca said. “It had been really more of a rhythm instrument up to that point.” The magnitude of Reinhardt’s musical ability is made all the more impressive when you consider he was able to do it all without the full use of his hand. When he was 18, Reinhardt was badly injured in a fire. His right leg was paralyzed, and the third and fourth fingers of his left hand were badly burned. The budding guitarist was forced to literally relearn his chosen instrument in an entirely new way, which ulti-
Photo courtesy of Ellen Schmidt-Devlin
Go Run! will screen the documentary “We Grew Wings” next week at Bainbridge Cinemas at the Pavilion.
Go Run! hosts screening of ‘We Grew Wings’
Photo courtesy of Ranger Sciacca
Gypsy jazz musicians, including Ranger & the Re-Arrangers, will celebrate legendary jazz man Django Reinhardt’s 104th birthday with a special performance in Lynwood. mately resulted in his unique style of playing. “Who knows if that held him back from being even better, or if that’s one the things that made him so good?” Sciacca said. Reinhardt’s legacy had a particularly personal affect on Sciacca who, along with his father Michael, formed Ranger and the Re-Arrangers in 2006 after returning from a pilgrimage to the Django Reinhardt festival in Samois, France. It is the largest annual celebration of the musician in the world. “It [gypsy jazz] went from an interest to a passion after that,” Sciacca said. “When we formed our band, I think that all of us had been playing instruments and music for years but we were all kind of new to gypsy jazz.” In the years since, the band has released three CDs and played more than 400 shows, including summer concerts, festivals, dances, art openings and weddings. The group consists of Sciacca on violin, his father Michael on rhythm guitar, Todd Houghton on bass, percussionist Jeffrey Moose, Dave Steward on the mandolin and Darin Locke on guitar.
Special contributing guest musicians for the Django birthday party include guitarist Tony Kahn, Chris Laughbon on the trombone and Amanda Grzadzielewski on the harp. The music selected for the program includes gypsy jazz classics, original compositions inspired by the genre traditions and, of course, some Reinhardt tunes. “All of the songs capture a mood so well,” Sciacca said. “Most of them are really happy songs. They really have a feel. You can hear the joy of the improvisers come through the music. There’s a focus on lyrical improvisation, the ultimate goal is to be composing new melodies as you play. I’m fascinated by that.” Considering the casual music fan, for whom this concert may very well be an introduction to gypsy jazz, Sciacca said the birthday tribute is meant to be as accessible as possible. “With this one [show] specifically, I’m shooting to make it really accessible and I’m going to talk a little bit about the history,” he said. “People will come away feeling as if they’ve learned an intro to gypsy jazz.”
Go Run!, a Bainbridge Island nonprofit, will present an island premiere of “We Grew Wings” on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Bainbridge Cinemas at the Pavilion. All proceeds will benefit Go Run!, a local running program to inspire and keep the next generation of healthy young women moving. The documentary film follows the stories of the University of Oregon women’s track teams from 1985 and 2011 - two teams from two different eras, each chasing an NCAA championship. The progression of women’s sports since the passage of Title IX in 1972 and the challenges faced by female athletes are highlighted in this 2012 film by Portland based producers/directors Ellen Schmidt-Devlin, Erich Lyttle, and Sarah Henderson. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m., with the movie screening at 10 a.m. Tickets for the event may be purchased in advance for $10 via the organization’s website (www.gorunhavefun.org). Tickets will be $12 at the door on the day of the event. Go Run! conducts an afterschool program for pre-teen girls, using running-based activities as a tool to empower its participants in terms of physical and emotional health and well-being. The program also provides coaching and mentoring volunteer opportunities for older girls and adults in the community. “We Grew Wings” made its world premiere in Eugene, Ore. during the 2012 U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials. The makers of the film describe it as a story of camaraderie, teamwork, struggles and triumphs. turn to happening | A11