With a pedigree like Lulo Reinhardt’s it’s hardly surprising that the good folk of Brighton were treated to such an extraordinarily good evening of gypsy jazz.
The grand-nephew of legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, not to mention a lineage of other talented musicians, Lulo’s style of guitar-playing is effortless and utterly charming.
Playing a set that ran the gamut from traditional gypsy, through Afro-Celtic, Latin swing to jaunty freeform jazz, with snatches of classic flamenco, the frontman and his four-piece backing band from Germany displayed more than just impeccable musicianship.
A warm-hearted sense of humour, some ready banter and a beaming smile quickly endeared him to an appreciative audience. Lulo’s eagerness to fuse genres was mirrored by frenetic virtuoso violinist Christoph König, who stole the show on more than a couple of occasions. Pushing the boundaries of jazz, König intersperses traditional and modern techniques with a daringly experimental approach.
That this is a band based on long friendships as well as impeccable musicianship was clear, the playful interaction between the five musicians adding to the feel-good factor. While I would have liked Lulo to have been more selfish and taken centre stage more often, the solos he did play made my hair stand on end. Mesmerising.
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