DECEMBER 17, 2009 ISSUE
Swing Guitars at Pepper’s This Friday
Swing Guitars, a local group comprised of Andy Page, Jay Brown and Ben McPherron, takes the stage at Pepper’s this Friday, December 18, at 8:00 p.m. Photo submitted
Swing Guitars, comprised of Andy Page, Jay Brown and Ben McPherron, will play at Pepper’s, located at 240 Shadowline Drive in Boone, this Friday, December 18, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. The performance is free and open to the public.
Swing Guitars focuses on gypsy jazz, as popularized by French guitarist Django Reinhardt.
“We end up playing a lot of his music and early acoustic jazz,” Page said, adding that the group also covers songs by Eddie Lang, Lonnie Johnson, Nick Lucas and Charlie Christian.
The group’s repertoire covers everything from waltzes to Eastern European folk tunes to American swing tunes and even some Latin music styles, such as bolero, tango and rumba, Page said.
“We try to mix it up with different feels,” he added.
The group has played together for about four years, Page said, and, at the Pepper’s show, will likely be joined by guitarist James Schaller.
Violinist Chelsea Whittaker also occasionally plays with the band, Page added.
Those looking for a horn section will be disappointed, but the “strings are more of a Parisian jazz staple,” Page explained. “A lot of early New Orleans jazz horn players doubled on strings.”
Swing Guitars played its first few gigs at Coffey’s, which was formerly located where Char is today, and has also played at other venues around town.
“We don’t get together as much as we’d like,” Page said, explaining that the bandmates are each involved with other projects.
“I’m in Bafoodus, Todd Wright Quartet [and] The Deciders with Melissa Reaves,” Page said, adding that Brown is also a member of the Lazybirds and McPherron is in Hope Massive and used to be in Wiseapple.
Brown plays a mid-1930s dobro, Page said, adding, “I think he really has the whole style down.”
Page encourages both gypsy jazz aficionados and those who have never heard the style to attend the free show.
“If you’re into bluegrass, you will enjoy gypsy jazz,” he said, adding that the style is “real driving, [has] a lot of energy [and] the pace is pretty relentless like bluegrass.”
To hear select recorded songs by Swing Guitars, click to www.myspace.com/andypagemusic.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
