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Gypsy Jazz & Balkan Music in Bristol

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Bristol's Gypsy Jazz Scene

Who put the gypsy in gypsy jazz?

Gypsy jazz or gypsy swing originated in the Romani cultures of France (according to Wikipedia) and has huge popularity in Bristol. But while many fans in Bristol might partake in alternative living’ via vans, canal boats or semi-legitimate housing, are they uprooting gysy jazz from its roots? Romani is a culture and an ethnicity, not just a way of life - Bristol council reports that 95% of the traveller community actually live in permanent housing now. So it seems the nomadic, traveller, roots of this music that now enjoys huge popularity in Bristol, might be eroded from the inside too.

The gypsy jazz thing has really kicked off in Bristol. From live bands to Bristol DJs, people seem to be into it. For big multi-band gigs it's worth looking at whats on at the Lost Horizon and the Attic. Occasional gypsy and klezmer nights also happen at The Croft so it's also worth considering the gig listings for the Croft.

There's a quality core of gypsy influenced bands in Bristol including the chaotic Fromage En Feu, Fuzia and festival-folk favourites Sheelanegig. Balkan beats nights in Bristol are typically found in the second or third rooms of some of Bristols bigger clubnights.

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Our recent gypsy jazz recommendations

Sell out warning! Gorgeous suites for flute, cello and voice from the Japanese school of celestial folk-classical. Torso meld jazz, post-rock and hushed chamber minimalism into a towering romance FFO: Arthur Russell, JOW, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Midori Takada, Visible Cloaks unplugged. Hailing from Tokyo’s underground DIY scene, Torso are a music duo composed of Kenji (flute, sax) and Orie (cello, voice). Join us for a rare UK performance, live at IC Visual Lab.

Luke De-Sciscio’s astral folk embodies a classic autumnal warmth and soul-searching intensity. Flighty, unabashedly emotional expressions, inviting and encouraging the audience to feel along. New fave FFO: John Martyn, Jeff Buckley, Van Morrison, Cat Stevens, Buffy Sainte-Marie. Luke De-Sciscio: Folk / indie folk legend +

Incandescent electronica-cumbia fusion intertwined with bolero, dembow, guaracha and bachata from the Brussels-via-Bolivia master multi-instrumentalist. Susobrino’s vibrant music is a whole cinematic, immersive cosmos to get lost in, joined by sonidero-influenced selector Ritmos Cholulteka supplying the cumbia-rooted grooves. Susobrino is a sonic explorer blending acoustic and electronic worlds, deeply immersed in the vibrant pulse of Latin America.

Mama’s Broke forge their Americana folk sound from disparate sources. Nothing is off-limits: Irish reels, intricately arranged acapellas, longform gothic death ballads, Eastern European style fiddle frenzies... it’s as if they’ve bottled the wandering spirit of every bar room, forest, and freight train they’ve passed through. Enchanting FFO: Gillian Welch, Lankum, Kaia Kater, murder ballads on the wind. Mama’s Broke is a powerful folk duo that deliver a compelling performance with heart and raw energy.

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What our editors say

“Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra have been gleefully trampling over genre boundaries for over a decade now, chucking rockabilly, blues, country, swing, soul and more into their musical gumbo, but always sounding mostly just like themselves.”
From: Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra + The Swamp Puppies

“Following his youth in Wimberley, TX, playing blues, manouche jazz, and western swing in bars and dance halls across the state, Buck moved to Brooklyn and released two solo EPs, Live from a Volcano (2013), and Heart Was Beat (2015). Concurrently, he met songwriter Adrianne Lenker in 2012, and after a year of fervent collaboration, they recorded two EPs,”
From: Buck Meek

“We’re bringing the Kris Nock Big Band back home for a night of feel-good live music right on our doorstep! Expect plenty of energy, big sounds, and the unmistakable buzz of a full 17-piece band doing what we do best. We’ll be diving into a mix of upbeat swing, foot-tapping jazz, and a few surprises along the way - the perfect way to kick off your weekend. Whether you’re a lifelong jazz fan or just fancy a great night out with brilliant live music, this one’s for you.”
From: Jazz Night

“A really exciting band for us to have at the club, QOW TRIO are touring to promote their barnstorming third album on the prestigious Whirlwind Records, with the fearless threesome roaming further than ever before into the uncharted hinterlands where the deep jazz tradition of the tenor trio, laden with melody and swing, ventures into the untamed regions of free improvisation.”
From: QOW Trio

“First formed in 2010, a band with far too many Richards than is healthy (hence Big R Big Band), discovered a shared love of playing classic Big Band music, in particular the swing music of the 30's and 40's. Now well established across the country as one of the best swing dance big bands you can hear the music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and many many more.”
From: The Big R Big Band