Hot Club Swing
Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers” evoke the spirit of a Paris cafe and the raucous energy of a Romani campsite with their version of Hot Club Swing. “At the heart of their sound is Ranger's sweet violin playing… his sense of melody and daring improvisations” (World Rhythm). The band’s repertoire includes swing standards, traditional European melodies, and the music of Django Reinhardt.
"Hot Club Swing" is named after the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. In the 1930's guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli blended their own musical legacies with the new American art form of jazz. Their recordings soon brought international fame to the new genre. Hot Club Swing is characterized by upbeat, high-energy swing on acoustic instruments, especially guitar, violin, bass, clarinet, and accordion.
Ranger and his father Michael formed the band in 2006, after a pilgrimage to the world’s foremost Hot Club Swing event, the Django Reinhardt festival in Samois Sur Seine, France. The band has now released 4 CDs and performs over 100 times each year at music festivals, concerts in the park, swing dances, weddings and events of all sorts.
Past Shows have included: Edmonds Concert in the Park, Seattle Art Museum, Djangofest Northwest, NW Dance Network, Best of the Northwest Arts Festival, Pender Harbour Jazz Festival, and Ethnic Fest Tacoma.