Route Django

Guitarists Phil Dolan and Rob Winder, both from Hull, formed Route De Django after meeting up with double bass player Christian Topman via a gypsy jazz jam session which he runs in York.

The band’s repertoire includes gypsy tunes, classic swing tunes, waltzes, instrumentals written by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli and modern gypsy classics.

"Their style of jazz is most often attributed to gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli who founded the all strings jazz ensemble, The Quintet du Hot Club de France, in the 1930s in Paris, France. This style is at times also referred to as 'jazz manouche', from the French term meaning 'gypsy'.

The style’s creation being attributed to a gypsy, the musical characteristics of the blending of gypsy musical elements with jazz and the fact that it has largely been fellow gypsies (until recently) who have carried and preserved the musical legacy of Django Reinhardt since his death in 1953, makes the term 'jazz manouche' one that is quite fitting in describing this genre." Doug Martin