In the 1930s, famed Roma guitarist Django Reinhardt created a new genre of music called gypsy jazz when he melded the folk music of Eastern Europe with swing.
Gypsophilia, a jazz group from Nova Scotia that will play at the Ottawa Jazz Festival on June 25, started as a tribute band for Reinhardt, but over the years forged their own unique style while retaining their swing roots.
“As we’ve evolved with every passing year and passing album we’ve felt less pressure to fit the idiom and more freedom to do our own thing,” says guitarist Ross Burns.
“There’s lots more world music included, different instruments, some percussion, lots of sounds from all over the musical map, and on the new record a little more electronic and psychedelic in places, and atmospheric. So as we go there’s all these different sonic elements coming into play, which is really fun.”
