artist info

With a performance history spanning almost two decades, Pearl Django endures as one of the most highly regarded Hot Club style groups working today. Although the band’s roots are firmly in the music made famous by Django Reinhardt and Stephan Grappelli, its extensive repertoire includes traditional jazz classics and original compositions. Pearl Django has performed at festivals, dances and nightspots throughout the U.S. and abroad. They have played at the prestigious Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois sur Seine and have been featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” The band’s signature style is marked by pristine and dexterous string work, colors of Bal Musette, the steady pulse of rhythm guitar and an unmistakable swing that delights audiences of all musical sensibilities. Throughout the years, Pearl Django has cultivated a devoted and enthusiastic following and they continue to play to packed houses wherever they perform.

They will also be welcoming a new member in the guitar chair, Puget Sound gypsy jazz legend Jim Char. Jim has made name for himself in the local jazz scene, performing at the 2016 Djangofest Northwest, and the international Gypsy Jazz world, traveling to Paris and Samois, France to pay homage to Django and playing music with some of the finest Gypsy jazzers in the world. Jim also teaches the Gypsy Jazz and Swing workshops at the Wintergrass Festival in Bellevue, WA and is the founder of the Hot Club of Seattle. Fluid stick work and coherent, compact solos make this vibraphonist a delight." —The Stranger

Seattle Guest guitarist, Neil Andersson, was born in Tacoma, WA and graduated from Wilson High School in1963. He received his Master of Fine Arts in painting and drawing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a BFA in painting from the University of Washington, and a BA in Art from the University of Puget Sound. Neil started playing guitar in high school and in 1964 joined the famous Northwest rock group the Wailers. As a guitarist, he has done session work and played in many groups - recording for United Artists, Janus Records, Etiquette Records, and Modern Hot Records. He is a member of the Northwest Music Hall of Fame. In 1993 he began a collaboration with Dudley Hill that led to the formation of the jazz group Pearl Django; Pearl Django subsequently recorded 10 CDs and maintains its own record label, Modern Hot Records. Neil also released a solo disc, C’est si bon, as well as two collaborations with fellow guitarist Peter Pendras: Malibu Manouche and As the Crow Flies. In 2010 Neil retired from Pearl Django to focus on art and other musical endeavors. Paralleling his career in music is his work as a visual artist. He primarily paints landscapes in oils, both in the studio and plein air; his paintings have been featured in exhibitions in the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, Indiana, and Illinois.. In addition to his activities in music and art, he has taught art at Chief Leschi School, the University of Puget Sound, Pierce College, Tacoma Community College, and Highline Community College. He has served on the Tacoma Arts Commission and worked for MetroParks Tacoma in summer arts programs. In 2008 Neil was featured in KIRO TV’s In Color.