u n c o n f i n e d G y p s y j a z z
Lacey@co-musicproducer.com
720-224-3892
Autumn, 2014
Wow, another amazing year of growth for the band! We were thrilled to have our sophomore album, Postcards from Tanzania, accepted by Pandora. The response to this recording has been fantastic, and we are gratified to hear from our followers that, one year after its release, they are still playing it regularly in their homes.
Our featured international guest star in 2013 was Olli Soikkeli from Finland. This very young virtuoso of Gypsy guitar was both charming and awe-inspiring. You can enjoy video from our performances with him on our YouTube channel.
This summer, we enjoyed a return visit from Olli for the Gypsy Jazz festival which Aaron produced in Denver. Along with Soikkeli, we hosted Robin Nolan, Tim Kliphuis, Simon Planting, and other Gypsy greats for a fantastic first year of this groundbreaking festival in the Colorado Front Range. The weekend was a success, and we look forward to participating in the 2015 Colorado Gypsy Jazz Festival!
Another milestone for the band was accepting an offer from PBS to record five songs for Sounds on 29th in Denver. Now that we've cut our teeth on local television, we feel better prepared to accept a call from The Tonight Show.
Changes -
This year, we've decided to move toward a
stronger Gypsy Jazz heartbeat, replacing
piano with Manouche rhythm guitar.
Luke Smith is an enthusiastic young
musician, new on the scene, and we're really
enjoying having him in the group. We have
also been fortunate enough to find a gem
of a fiddler, Josie Toney, who has a beautiful
singing voice to add harmonies and
occasionally fill in for Laura when she is
traveling with her new Marine husband.
We love Iceland! -
We have continued our working relationship with Iceland's guitar hero, fantastic solo guitar extraordinaire Bjorn Thoroddsen. Bjorn contacted us during his visit to Denver in 2012, wanting to join us for an impromptu concert.
Since that night, Aaron has traveled to Iceland to perform with Bjorn on stage and radio, and last holiday season we were thrilled to host Bjorn, along with Hjorleifur Orn Jonsson and Rannveig Eliasdottir, for an Icelandic Christmas celebration in Denver. Icelandair was our sponsor, in cooperation with the cities of Akureyri and Denver, and with additional aid from Iceland Naturally. The evening was magical, and one audience member won a trip for two to Iceland!
Upcoming in 2015 -
We have booked our tickets through Icelandair for our performance tour with colleagues in Iceland and Joscho Stephan in Germany March/April, 2015; stay tuned for show dates!
"Upbeat jazz sets the stage. Classical nuances add drama. A touch of pop brings zest and spunk, while French undertones and Brazilian beat give the music an exotic flare."
-Loveland Reporter Herald
July 28, 2011
Maria & Manuel
Jeremy "The Tempest" Wendelin
"Our music is a listener-friendly blend including fresh takes on classic favorites; unburied treasures; and innovative, original songs. We are a swing band, unconfined. Our primary influences include legendary two-fingered trailblazer Django Reinhardt and his Hot Club of France; the genre-bending "little orchestra" from Portland, Pink Martini; and accessible polystylism. While our performances are musically satisfying to the professionals in our ensemble, each song is crafted with the goal of maintaining a general accessibility. Through our exciting shows which uniquely balance musical familiarity and newness, we have achieved a rare level of multi-generational appeal.
Swing Je T'aime is exclusively for everyone!"
- director/guitarist Aaron Walker
Aaron "The Arranger" Walker
Laura "Angel Pipes" Iyengar
Platinum Network -
Invited by Grace Ormonde of Wedding Style Magazine, the world's only internationally-published luxury wedding magazine, to join her international Platinum network as the exclusive band in Colorado for luxury event entertainment!
Also Performing With -
Manuel "Stix" Lopez
Jason "Bass Face" Malmberg
Josie "Sweet Strings" Toney
Luke "Tiger Beat" Smith
on the set at PBS
Mr. & Mrs. Iyengar
with Icelandic Guest Stars
Photos taken at the Holiday Event Center in Denver, Colorado
by Kendra Gaines Photography
on tour with Joscho Stephan, 2012
L-R: Tim Kliphuis, Robin Nolan, Olli Soikkeli,
Arnoud van den Berg, Simon Planting, Aaron Walker
at Denver's favorite breakfast spot, Snooze A.M. Eatery
Maria Lopez
Our resident French songbird, Maria transports the audience to 1940s Paris with her Piaf-conjuring, strongly lilting voice. Hear Maria in our recording of La Vie En Rose on our second album, Postcards from Tanzania.
Mike Fitzmaurice
First-call sub on bass, Mike is a consummate professional and great performer who easily adapts to virtually any style at will. His solos will "bow" you over.
