If you can imagine the ideal soundtrack to driving through the scented country roads of France on a hot lazy summer's day then it would be the music of Martin Taylor's Spirit of Django. To mark the 100th Anniversary of the birth of one of the founders of European jazz Django Reinhardt, Martin Taylor has reformed his award winning group Spirit of Django after a 15 year hiatus for the new album, 'Last Train to Hauteville'.
Martin Taylor first came to prominence in the 70's through his work with violinist Stephane Grappelli and as such is able to trace his musical lineage back to Django Reinhardt and the original Quintette du Hot Club de France.
In 1994 Martin formed Spirit of Django to re-explore his own Gypsy roots. Their first album reached No.1 in the UK Jazz Charts with their version of Robert Palmer's 'Johnny & Mary' becoming familiar across Europe as the theme the successful 'Nicole-Papa' TV adverts for Renault Clio. They were voted Best Small Group & were top of the US Gavin Jazz Charts before Martin retired the group to work on his collaborations with Bill Wyman, Bryn Terfel & Jamie Cullum as well as his solo recordings.
A recent concert at The Royal Albert Hall in London marked the return of his gypsy jazz group Spirit of Django in advance of their first album in over fourteen years. Martin Taylor's Spirit of Django includes fast rising jazz singer Alison Burns, bassist Terry Gregory, guitarist John Goldie, percussionist James Taylor and maestro accordionist Jack Emblow. Touring will start in the USA & Canada in Feb/March, followed by Asia in April and Europe in early Summer.
Martin Taylor first came to prominence in the 70's through his work with violinist Stephane Grappelli and as such is able to trace his musical lineage back to Django Reinhardt and the original Quintette du Hot Club de France.
In 1994 Martin formed Spirit of Django to re-explore his own Gypsy roots. Their first album reached No.1 in the UK Jazz Charts with their version of Robert Palmer's 'Johnny & Mary' becoming familiar across Europe as the theme the successful 'Nicole-Papa' TV adverts for Renault Clio. They were voted Best Small Group & were top of the US Gavin Jazz Charts before Martin retired the group to work on his collaborations with Bill Wyman, Bryn Terfel & Jamie Cullum as well as his solo recordings.
A recent concert at The Royal Albert Hall in London marked the return of his gypsy jazz group Spirit of Django in advance of their first album in over fourteen years. Martin Taylor's Spirit of Django includes fast rising jazz singer Alison Burns, bassist Terry Gregory, guitarist John Goldie, percussionist James Taylor and maestro accordionist Jack Emblow. Touring will start in the USA & Canada in Feb/March, followed by Asia in April and Europe in early Summer.
