Article Contributed by Jazz Promo Services
Published on October 29, 2025
Pat Philips & Blue Note are proud to announce a landmark celebration for the 25th Anniversary of the Django Reinhardt NY Festival — a grand gypsy jazz event set for Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 8 PM inside the historic Sony Hall in New York City. This special one-night performance will feature the acclaimed Django Festival Allstars, joined by powerhouse vocalist Veronica Swift and clarinet great Ken Peplowski.
Hailed as *“Sensational”* by George Benson, *“The hardest swinging group at the Newport Jazz Festival” by Downbeat, and “The best jazz show in town” by The Wall Street Journal, the Django Festival Allstars continue a tradition of honoring the musical genius of the legendary Jean “Django” Reinhardt — while driving his legacy forward into the 21st century.
The 2025 celebration concert takes the place of the Django Reinhardt NY Festival’s typical week-long Birdland residency, which will return in November 2026.
This year’s lineup features many of the world’s most beloved French gypsy jazz masters: dazzling guitarist Samson Schmitt, accordion and accordina virtuoso Ludovic Beier, jazz-classical hybrid violinist Pierre Blanchard, highly sought-after rhythm guitarist Francko Mehrstein, and rock-solid bassist Antonio Licusati. Together, they push Reinhardt’s “Hot Jazz” tradition into bold, joyful territory filled with swing, fire, and spontaneity.
Following the NYC performance, Swift will join the ensemble for a **12-city U.S. tour**, marking an exciting new chapter for the Django Festival Allstars as they prepare the release of a forthcoming album on the Grammy®-winning Motéma label.
2025 U.S. Tour Dates
Django Festival Allstars w/ Veronica Swift
Nov 13 – Sony Hall, NYC, NY
Nov 14 – City College Workshop, NYC, NY
Nov 16 – The Dakota, Minneapolis, MN
Nov 18 – Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, AZ
Nov 19 – Athenaeum Jazz, San Diego, CA
Nov 20 – Raymond Kabazz Theater, Los Angeles, CA
Nov 21 – The Lobero Theater, Santa Barbara, CA
Nov 22 – Healdsburg Jazz Festival, Healdsburg, CA
Nov 23 – Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society, Half Moon Bay, CA
Nov 28 – The Center for the Arts, Grass Valley, CA
Nov 30 – SFJAZZ, San Francisco, CA
Dec 1 – Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, CA
Founded in 2000 by Ettore Stratta and producer Pat Philips, the Django Reinhardt NY Festival quickly became one of New York’s most anticipated fall jazz traditions, introducing generations of audiences to the exuberant sound of gypsy jazz. Its long relationship with venues like Birdland and Carnegie Hall has elevated the genre’s global reach and solidified the Allstars as leading ambassadors of Reinhardt’s legacy.
The ensemble enters this milestone tour with a renewed surge of momentum after recent sell-outs at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club and a triumphant mainstage appearance at the renowned Festival Django Reinhardt in Fontainebleau, France. With Veronica Swift’s stunning vocal artistry and Ken Peplowski’s clarinet mastery adding fresh colors to the music, this one-night celebration at Sony Hall promises to be a transformative evening of swing, virtuosity, and pure joy.
A one-of-a-kind anniversary event — and a must for jazz lovers of every generation.
