DJANGO FESTIVAL ALLSTARS to Launch 28-City U.S. Tour Through May 2027
The ensemble's milestone anniversary album serves as the backdrop for an extended run of concert dates.
DJANGO FESTIVAL ALLSTARS is set to embark on a 28-city tour across the United States running through May 2027, tied to the group's 25th anniversary and its album EVOLUTION.
EVOLUTION, the group's latest album, was released on Motéma in February. The album has drawn attention from critics, radio, and audiences internationally since its release.
The Allstars completed a three-week U.S. tour last November, which culminated in a sold-out performance at SFJAZZ's Miner Auditorium. Back in France, the group has played several key dates, and is set to return to the United States for a 2026/2027 EVOLUTION album tour running August 7 through May. Tour highlights include the Detroit Jazz Festival, SFJAZZ, and Jazz at Lincoln Center, as well as concerts in Baltimore, Minneapolis, Houston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and in multiple cities throughout Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. Full tour details are available at djangofestivalallstars.com/tour.
The Django Festival Allstars emerged from the Django Reinhardt NY Festival, founded in 2000 by Pat Philips and her husband, Ettore Stratta. After twenty-four years at Birdland, the Festival's 25th Anniversary was celebrated at Sony Hall, New York City. The next festival chapter begins at Dizzy's, Jazz @ Lincoln Center, Nov. 11th, where The Allstars will anchor for a week, joined by special guests Anat Cohen, Ute Lemper, Roberta Gamborini and more to be announced.
A feature on the group appeared in the March 2026 issue of DownBeat, headlined 'GYPSY JAZZ FOR THE 21st CENTURY.' The story chronicles the evolution of both the festival and the band's line-up of soloist/composers — Samson Schmitt (lead guitar), Ludovic Beier (accordion and accordina), and Pierre Blanchard (violin) — alongside the rhythm section of Francko 'Locomotive' Mehrstein, a Gypsy master of 'la pompe' rhythm guitar, and Antonio Licusati on bass. The group is described as standing at the forefront of a Nouvelle Gypsy Swing movement, with original music rooted in Django Reinhardt's tradition, expanding that legacy into jazz with its own identity.
EVOLUTION can be streamed or purchased via this link. The Django Festival Allstars can be followed on Spotify, , and Instagram for updates on recordings, concerts, and news. Motéma's YouTube channel is rolling out a new series of Django Festival Allstars live videos.
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