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Dave Kelbie

RHYTHM GUITAR

Dave Kelbie has devoted his professional career to playing rhythm guitar. Over the last 30 years he has been a prominent accompanist to many of the world’s leading jazz soloists and possibly every celebrated guitarist in the Gypsy jazz world.

His Quartet Lejazz and Fapy Lafertin released the iconic CDs Swing Guitars in 1994 and Hungaria in 1996, two seminal recordings that are as majestic for their music as they are for their sound – and viewed by many as the definitive Gypsy jazz albums since the last recorded releases of Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Out of print for nearly ten years they were re-released in 2013 to much acclaim as the double album 94-96 The Recordings. These were the debut recordings on the lejazzetal label and set the stage for a relationship with music production resulting in an exclusive catalogue of 22 titles.
Through his alliance with Fapy Lafertin have come performances with musicians such as Hungarian violinist Roby Lakatos, Tcha Limberger, Bireli Lagrene, Mozes Rosenberg, Angelo Debarre and Lollo Meier.
After dissolving the Lafertin band he formed another quartet with the very celebrated French guitarist Angelo Debarre in 2002, an electrifying group that reignited interest in the mostly ignored later period compositions of Django Reinhardt. Featuring the great British violinist Christian Garrick the group toured for seven years to much critical acclaim from audience and media alike.
The groundbreaking UK-based multi-national Balkan music cooperative Szapora was a noteworthy departure from the jazz genre. Formed in 1996 as The Budapest Cafe orchestra, the band headed the Balkan music scene in Europe and the UK for a number of years, consistently featuring some of the finest European musicians and electrified audiences the world over.
In 2008 Kelbie started working with Australian multi-instrumentalist and vocalist George Washingmachine in the mostly Australian and very swinging George Washingmachine Quartet. The Quartet’s debut was at the Miri international jazz festival where they recorded the album Room 301 Sessions and toured throughout Europe for a number of years.
For 25 years he has held the rhythm guitar seat to UK guitar legend John Etheridge and his band Sweet Chorus, and more recently London’s super stylish vintage jazz band The Dime Notes with U.S pianist Andrew Oliver and clarinetist David Horniblow.
With a recent project, a seven year stretch with New Orleans clarinetist Evan Christopher and the mutli-award winning project Django a la Creole, Kelbie has become one of the most sought after rhythm guitarists on the world stage and he continues to work with New Orleans banjoist/guitarist Don Vappie in the recently formed, and very distinguished group, Jazz Creole.

RECORDINGS FEATURING DAVE KELBIE

PRESS

Dave Kelbie’s rhythm guitar is undoubtedly one of the best in the world
CLASSICA FRANCE
Kelbie is the motor tonight, providing a strict, subtle pulse – whatever the tempo
THE GUARDIAN UK
the rhythmic rumbling of a folksy freight train
JAZZ DA GAMA USA
Kelbie with a remarkable rhythm on his guitar delivers an impressive performance
MOORS MAGAZINE HOLLAND
Kelbie always provides propulsive rhythm guitar
INVERNESS COURRIER UK
Kelbie maintains the pulse flawlessly at any speed from zero to a hundred and twenty
JAZZMANN UK
Sweet Chorus is propelled by the partnership of the guitarist Dave Kelbie and the bassist Malcolm Creese
THE TIMES UK
The Rolls-Royce and Jaguar of British rhythm sections
DJANGOSTATION FRANCE
Dave Kelbie produced such a solid percussive rhythm you could hear why the original Quintette didn’t use a drummer
CRACKERBOX UK

 
 

september 2023

2023sun24sep7:30 pmsun10:30 pmTcha Limberger Trio with John KellyTaliesinTaliesin Arts Centre, Swansea UK

2023mon25sep8:30 pmmon11:00 pmTcha Limberger Trio with John KellyCrooked BilletThe Crooked Billet, Stoke Row UK

2023tue26sep6:30 pmtue10:30 pmGypsy Jazz in SohoThe Piano BarThe Piano Bar, London UK

october 2023

2023wed04oct8:00 pmwed10:30 pmThe Dime NotesThe Concorde ClubThe Concorde Club, Eastleigh UK

november 2023

2023tue07nov8:00 pmtue10:30 pmViper Club • Album Release PartyLe son de la Terre, ParisLe son de la Terre, Paris France

march 2024

2024wed13mar8:00 pmwed10:00 pmThe Dime NotesSancy Snow jazz festival

2024thu14mar8:00 pmthu10:00 pmThe Dime NotesSancy Snow jazz festival

2024fri22mar8:00 pmfri11:00 pmDon Vappie & Jazz CreoleL'Ecrin, TalantL'Ecrin, Talant, Dijon France

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april 2024

2024thu25apr8:00 pmthu10:30 pmViper ClubJazz en Vill, VillejuifMpt Gérard Philipe, Villejuif France

2024fri26apr8:00 pmfri10:30 pmViper ClubJazz Ivry, IvrySalle Saint-Just, Ivry France

may 2024

2024sun12may11:00 amsun1:00 pmThe Dime NotesThe Stables WavendonThe Stables, Wavendon UK

2024tue28may8:00 pmtue10:30 pmViper ClubDe Centrale, GentDe Centrale, Gent, Belgium