The 9th Annual Charm City

Django Jazz Fest!

Friday April 5th: a seated listening concert at The Baltimore Museum of Art's Concert Hall // Saturday April 6th: a 1940's Zazous Dance Party with a live band celebrating the swing dance craze of 1940's Paris at Bluebird's Green Room in Hampden

  • Listen

    Enjoy great live sets from some of the best hot jazz musicians in the world.

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    Learn

    Learn about the history and techniques of Gypsy jazz in expert-led workshops.

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    Meet

    Enjoy a weekend with other jazz aficionados from across Baltimore and around the globe.

Django Jazz Fest Poster

Welcome!

The 9th Annual Charm City Django Jazz Fest at Baltimore Museum of Art April 5th will feature top musicians from New Orleans, New York City, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and Nashville. There will also be a ticketed party on April 6th at Bluebird's Green Room celebrating how the music of Django Reinhardt inspired a new generation of swing dancers called the "Zazous" during the occupation of Paris.

Jazz attracted me because in it I found a formal perfection and instrumental precision that I admire in classical music, but which popular music doesn't have.

Django Reinhardt

Hire Artistic Director Michael Harris to curate your own Hot Jazz Fest!

Schedule

Friday, April 5

Save with VIP Passes.

  • 8:00 PM

    BMA Auditorium

    Hot Club of Baltimore with Special Guests

    Hot Club of Baltimore with special guests Chris Christy, Chloe Feoranzo, César Orozco, Russell Welch, Sam Farthing, Connor Holdridge, and Will Ledbetter!
    ​Michael Joseph Harris leads an extraordinary group of musicians on a musical journey starting with Django Reinhardt's early music as an all-string hot jazz ensemble in the 30's featuring violinist Eli Bishop from Nashville and Baltimore's Sam Farthing on guitar, then we move into the 1940's and beyond with an amazing duo from New Orleans featuring Chris Christy on resonator guitar and Russell Welch on acoustic guitar followed by Cuban jazz virtuoso César Orozco on piano and top clarinetist Chloe Feoranzo from Los Angeles.
    This promises to be an incredible showcase of talent never before seen on a Baltimore stage!

    Brad Brose and His Bad Bros

    Brad Brose and his Bad Bros are known for their high-energy performances, intricate arrangements, and improvisational skills. Together, they create a musical experience that is both captivating and exhilarating. They are a band to watch, and their music is sure to leave a lasting impression on all who hear it.

Saturday, April 6th

Save with VIP Passes.

  • 7 PM

    The Green Room under Bluebird Cocktail Bar


    1940's Zazous Paris Swing Party

    Taking place at the beautiful Green Room in Hampden, we celebrate how the music of Django Reinhardt inspired a new generation of teenage swing dancers during the occupation of Paris in the 1940's. Swing music and dance provided a feeling of liberation for teens and young adults in Paris during this time and was a significant anti-war cultural movement allowing a community to flourish around art and music.
    This event is sold out! Get your tickets to the April 5th show while they're still available!

  • 11:00 AM

    Location TBD

    Russell Welch

    New Orleans Guitar Workshop

    $30 Per Person. Location TBD

  • 12:00 PM

    Location TBD

    Violin, Clarinet, and Guitar

    Gypsy Jazz Workshop

    Eli Bishop teaches violin, Chloe Feoranzo teaches clarinet, and Michael Joseph Harris teaches guitar, with potential breakout groups per instrument and a facilitated jam.

2024 Tickets

You can purchase tickets for individual shows, workshops a la carte, or a pass to the both nights!

Evening Concerts

The Friday show features multiple performers from 8pm until 11pm at Baltimore Museum of Art Auditorium. The Saturday show (already sold out!) is a live band featuring Chloe Feoranzo at Bluebird's Green Room.

Saturday Workshops

Workshops Saturday afternoon in guitar, and violin, clarinet and guitar are available for purchase for those who want to learn from the featured artists.

VIP Passes

Already sold out!
$65 gets you general admission for the show on April 5th and for the party on April 6th. Workshops not included.

FAQ

Here you'll find answers to the most common questions about the festival. Still have questions? Message us.

  • Are the workshops for beginners, or only advanced players?

    The workshops will be of value for all levels, but some experience playing jazz is helpful. Students must have basic knowledge of the instrument and be able to play scales and chords. Most importantly, the student should be excited to learn new things and to get inspired! Get your tickets now!

  • Can I get a discount or a package deal on concert tickets?

    There is a limited number of 2-Day VIP Passes available in advance.

  • Is there secure parking available at the venue?

    Parking for BMA, April 5th, is in a lot of the BMA (more info here).
    Parking for Bluebird, April 6th, is on the street, or you can go to the lot behind Avenue Kitchen which is off an alley between Roland Ave and Elm Ave south of the avenue. We recommend you use Uber whenever possible, but Hampden is very walkable for most, and parking can be easier in the neighborhood north of Bluebird if you choose street parking.

  • Is the venue accessible?

    The BMA is fully accessible. Guests who enter the East Lobby can take an elevator up to the second floor. There are stairs but also accessible alternatives. Once in the auditorium, there is clearly labeled wheelchair and companion seating against the center wall (separating the lower and balcony seats). We will have ushers available to make sure folks who need this seating have access to these seats.

  • Are there places to eat or bars near the venue?

    There will be light snacks and bottled non-alcoholic drinks for sale at the entrance to BMA Auditorium on April 5th when you arrive for the concert and throughout the show. NOTE: Gertrudes Restaurant at the BMA will be closed for a private party on April 5th, so we recommend visiting nearby Charles Village bars and restaurants. Bluebird's Green Room on April 6th will have food available as well as a full bar with Paris-themed cocktails to purchase.
    These are within walking distance of BMA:
    The PaperMoon Diner (Quirky fun place with great food!)
    227 W 29th St, Baltimore, MD 21211

    Kajiken (Great Ramen)7 E 33rd St, Baltimore, MD 21218
    NuVegan 7 E 33rd St, Baltimore, MD 21218
    Sakoon Indian Fusion3105 St Paul St B, Baltimore, MD 21218
    If you are driving to the BMA, we recommend the following places in nearby Hampden which are a short drive or Uber away:
    Bluebird Cocktail Room (great food!) 3600 Hickory Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211
    The Food Market (Excellent!)1017 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211
    Rocket to Venus 3360 Chestnut Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211
    Golden West Cafe1105 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211
    Dylan's Oyster Cellar 3601 Chestnut Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211
    The Charmery (Ice Cream)801 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211

  • Are there hotels you recommend near the venue?

    We recommend Hotel Indigo and the Inn at Colonnade which is the closest in terms of walking distance to BMA. Hotel Indigo is offering a special discount for Jazz Fest attendees!

  • What is the nearest airport?

    BWI Airport is about a 30 minute drive from the venue, or you can take the Light Rail from BWI to the Center St/Howard St stop then walk south on N Howard St one block, take a left on Center St and go east for 5 blocks, then take right on Charles and go South for 3 blocks (about a 10 minute walk).

Our Gallery

Stunning photos & videos from prior years' Charm City Django Jazz Festival. 

The best kept secret in hot jazz.

Our Lineup

Meet the special guests in our 2024 festival line-up.

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Hot Club of Baltimore

Friday & Saturday
Website

Hot Club of Baltimore, led by acclaimed guitarist Michael Joseph Harris, features an all-star lineup and talented guest musicians from the community for Charm City Django Jazz Fest. The Hot Club of Baltimore performs inspired arrangements of the Django Reinhardt repertoire, French waltzes, and Trad Jazz.
The Hot Club of Baltimore performs inspired arrangements of the Django Reinhardt repertoire, French waltzes, and Trad Jazz. The ensemble boasts a variety of configurations including an instrumental trio of two guitars and upright bass, a classic quintet with violin, a late 40's instrumentation adding piano, drums, and horns, and a Django Big Band, which emulatesthe sound of the early 50's when Reinhardt performed with Duke Ellington. The group often features captivating vocalist Alexis Tantau who sings in her native Occitan language as well as songs in French and English by Edith Piaf, Eartha Kitt, Charles Trenet, Maxine Sullivan, JacquesDutronc, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Henri Salvador.

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Chloe Feoranzo

Friday & Saturday
Website

Chloe Feoranzo is a clarinetist, saxophonist and vocalist who has been performing professionally since the age of 15.
She grew up playing in youth orchestras, musical pits, and traditional jazz bands and as a guest artist at festivals in the Southern California area.
She completed a three year tour with Pokey LaFarge during which the band toured many countries and appeared on various shows such as The Late Show with David Letterman, Prairie Home Companion and the Grand Ole Opry. She has toured with Postmodern Jukebox and has 4 videos out as a featured artist. She has also toured with Asleep At The Wheel up until March 2020.
You can hear her playing on over 70+ albums and continues to pursue a love of recording in Los Angeles, CA. She is a member of Shake ‘Em Up Jazz Band and has her own EP under the Chloe Feoranzo Quartet.

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Brad Brose and His Bad Bros

Friday
Website

Opening band for Charm City Django Jazz Fest will be Brad Brose and his Bad Bros, a New York City-based band with a unique sound that combines traditional hot jazz from the 30’s with an electric and eclectic vibe. The band is composed of members from all over the world, with diverse international musical backgrounds.

Brad Brose, the band leader, is the driving force behind the group, bringing everyone together with his eclectic mix of old jazz influences from his experience playing jazz festivals all over the world. After living in Paris and playing with gypsies, he brings the roots of this music into contact with NYC energy. He seamlessly blends traditional and modern elements to create a unique sound that is all his own.

Ryan Weisheit plays clarinet and sax in the authentic virtuosic style of early jazz legends, infusing the music with a touch of continental elegance. Uri Zelig, from Israel, brings his syncopated hot drums to the mix, adding a dynamic energy that propels the music forward. Abe Pollack, from Seattle, plays upright bass with a style that harkens back to the great bass players of 1930s New Orleans, providing a solid foundation for the band's sound.

Brad Brose and his Bad Bros are known for their high-energy performances, intricate arrangements, and improvisational skills. Together, they create a musical experience that is both captivating and exhilarating. They are a band to watch, and their music is sure to leave a lasting impression on all who hear it.

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César Orozco

Friday
Website

César Orozco is a prolific Cuban/Venezuelan pianist, violinist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator. After developing an important career in Venezuela, Mr. Orozco moved to the United States in 2012 and enrolled with a full tuition Assistantship to The Peabody Institute of John Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he earned a Graduate Performance Diploma (GPD) in 2014. Since relocating to the New York tri-state area in 2015, Mr. Orozco has become an in-demand pianist as a sideman as well as a leader of his own projects. Some of the artists he has worked with include Paquito D’Rivera, Pedrito Martinez, Gary Thomas, Yosvany Terry, Flavio Sala, Luisito Quintero, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Luis Enrique, Itai Kriss, Troy Roberts, Paul Bollenback, Jeremy Warren, and Giovanni Hidalgo just to name a few.   Orozco has developed an innovative approach to a fusion of Venezuelan and Cuban traditional music with Jazz along with his project Kamarata Jazz. He has appeared in more than 70 albums. Throughout his career, Orozco has toured extensively across the United States, Europe, Latin America and Australia, participating in some of the most renowned music festivals around the world such as the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Cervantino Festival in Mexico, and the Jazz al Parque in Bogota, Colombia. As a bandleader, he has performed at venues such as Blues Alley, Twins Jazz, and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Bolivar Hall in London, the Bird's Basement Jazz Club in Melbourne, Australia, the Bimhuis Jazz Club in Amsterdam, Subrosa, The Zinc Bar, Terraza 7, and the Fat Cat in New York City among others.

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Russell Welch

Friday
Website

Russell has been a faculty member and featured concert performer at two of the most prestigious Django Reinhardt Jazz festivals in North America: Django a GoGo International Festival and Guitar Camp (New York City, 2022), and Django in June Festival and Guitar Camp (Southampton, Massachusetts, 2022), and a featured concert performer at others, including the Midwest Gypsy Swing Festival in Madison, Wisconsin; the Charm City Django Jazz Fest in Baltimore, Maryland; the Jazz and Heritage Festival and the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana; The Township Jazz Festival and the Millsaps (College) Arts and Lecture Series in Jackson, Mississippi.His bands include: The Russell Welch Hot Quartet/Trio, The Champagniacs, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns, The Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band, The Hot Club of New Orleans, Meschiya and the Machetes, and King James and the Special Men.
Russell and his albums have been honored with multiple “New Orleans Best” nominations, and reviews have praised his albums as a "tour de force” (“Mississippi Gipsy”) and “masterful” (“Mississippi Gipsy” “Showarama”). His studio-quality "Live In Baltimore" RWHQ concert album was recorded at the Charm City Django Jazz Festival.

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Eli Bishop

Friday

Eli Bishop is an American violinist who is recognized for his virtuosity and versatility across multiple genres of music. A native of Nashville, TN, Eli has performed with artists including Wynton Marsalis, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Lee Ann Womack, Kevin Costner & Modern West, The 8bit Big Band, and as a member of the Grand Ole Opry’s house band. Eli’s musical work spans many mediums of the entertainment industry, including commercials for Samsung, movies for Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Billy Crystal, and his soloist work can be heard in games including Minecraft, Apex Legends, as well as in theme parks including Dollywood and Disney. The Chicago Tribune has praised Eli’s “silken legato phrases, impeccable pitch and seemingly effortless technique in fast-moving passages...” Bishop stands out as a remarkable contemporary violinist, renowned for his unique blend of classical virtuosity and versatile expertise across genres. His exceptional ability to navigate diverse musical landscapes positions him as a singular figure in the modern music scene, crafting a resonant and unique sound that spans from the concert stage to new horizons.

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Will Ledbetter

Friday

William “MoBetta” Ledbetter, a native of Hampton, Virginia, is a multi-instrumentalist specializing in the upright bass. He graduated from UNCG Miles Davis Jazz Studies program in 2019, where he studied double bass and blended Jazz with his foundations in the Blues, Gospel, and R&B. In December 2021, Ledbetter joined the U.S. Navy Band Commodores becoming their first African American bassist.
Anyone who has worked with or heard “MoBetta” knows that he
is a driving force while performing. His drive and love for music and performance has captured the attention of many world-renowned artist. Ledbetter has worked with a plethora of artists including, Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Sean Mason, and many more. He can be heard on Delfeayo’s latest album “Uptown on Mardi Gras Day”. He also performed at the historic Newport Jazz fest in 2023 with the Branford Marsalis Quartet.

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Chris Christy

Friday
Website

Chris Christy is a self-taught musician, a composer and multi instrumentalists who lives in New Orleans specializing in a unique fingerstyle guitar technique reminiscent of the legendary Oscar Alemán who was a contemporary of Django Reinhardt and who played with Josephine Baker's band in 1930's Paris. Christy's most recent album "Chris Christy Quintet" was just released in late 2023 and features his incredible compositions and breathtaking guitar playing. Christy's style is all his own but also deeply rooted in the traditions of jazz, world folk, and blues.

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Sam Farthing

Friday
Website

Twenty-one year old Baltimore guitarist, composer, and educator Sam Farthing has dedicated his life to the preservation of the traditions of gypsy jazz and swing. Beginning his musical journey as a classical guitarist, Sam gravitated towards the music of Sinti swing guitarist Django Reinhardt, and began immersing himself completely in the style. Over the last seven years, Samuel has studied and performed with some of the world's top gypsy jazz guitarists including Stochelo and Mozes Rosenberg, Fapy Lafertin, Tchavolo and Samson Schmitt and many others. Samuel has performed in some of the world's most prestigious gypsy jazz festivals across the world including Django sur Lennon, Djangofest Northwest, Djangofest Mill Valley, Django a Gogo, Charm City Django Jazz Fest.

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Connor Holdridge

Friday
Website

Born and raised in Northern Virginia, Connor Holdridge’s music expands beyond the bounds of the region he grew up in. His musical influences range from the jazz soloing styles of Django Reinhardt and Dexter Gordon to the overdriven blues/rock guitar of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Alongside saxophonist Gabriel Wallace, Connor co-leads “The Hot Mess,” a quartet whose repertoire is inspired by the early 1940s ensembles of Django Reinhardt and Benny Goodman. Connor has also been featured with local artists such as Michael Joseph Harris (Ultrafaux; Hot Club of Baltimore) and Nataly Merezhuk (Strathmore AIR 2021). 
Connor’s own compositions seek to explore the possibilities in sound using two French guitars, upright bass/electric bass, and varied percussion. His sound draws upon various musical cultures and takes inspiration from a younger generation of acoustic guitar players with more modern influences.

Get In Touch 

If you have any questions, want to bring a Hot Jazz Festival to your area, or discuss collaboration options, contact founder and organizer Michael Joseph Harris here:

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