Dave Kelbie

Dave Kelbie on stage playing guitar in Swansea with The Dime Notes
by Paul Nicholas

RHYTHM GUITAR

Dave Kelbie has dedicated his professional career to playing rhythm. Over the past 35 years, he has been a prominent accompanist to many of the world’s leading jazz soloists, celebrated musicians in the Gypsy jazz scene, and numerous artists in world music with a rep for a hard-hitting approach to accompanying rhythm. His involvement in numerous international projects has led to multiple awards and nominations.
 
Kelbie’s first professional gigs in 1987 were with the Gypsy guitarist from Holland Fapy Lafertin, launching a decade of touring which has continued with the recording alongside celebrity clarinetist Evan Christopher of ‘A Summit in Paris’ and a quartet with the great Tcha Limberger and Vilmos Csikos.
 
His first band released two iconic CDs Swing Guitars 1994 & Hungaria 1996. Two seminal recordings viewed by many as historic recordings majestic for their music as they are for their sound and the definitive Gypsy jazz albums since the last recordings Reinhardt’s Quintet of the Hot Club of France. They set the stage for a career producing music and were re-released in 2013 as a double CD, 94-96 The Recordings. Kelbie leads the UK independent label Lejazzetal Records.
 
In 2002 he built a quartet around the prodigious French guitarist Angelo Debarre with the violinist Christian Garrick & bass groove merchant Pete Kubryk-Townsend. An electrifying group that reignited interest in late Reinhardt compositions which toured for seven years to much critical acclaim from audience & media.
 
A memorable departure from the jazz was the pioneering UK-based multi-national Balkan music cooperative Szapora. Formed in 1996 as The Budapest Cafe orchestra, the band was a game changer in the European Balkan music scene consistently featuring some of the finest European musicians and electrified audiences the world over with enthralling performances and three award winning albums.

For 25 yrs Kelbie has held the rhythm seat to UK guitar legend John Etheridge and his band Sweet Chorus, and more recently London’s super stylish and world-travelled vintage jazz band The Dime Notes.

With three recent projects Kelbie has become a very much sought as a rhythm guitarist on the world stage; with New Orleans clarinetist Evan Christopher and Django a la Creole, described as the most graceful band of its time by The Times and receiving countless awards; with ‘Banjo Hall of Fame’ New Orleans banjoist Don Vappie & Jazz Creole with whom he produced The Times jazz album of 2021; with Tcha Limberger and Jerome Etcheberry to form alongside Paris bassist Sebastien Girardot, the Stuff Smith inspired The Viper Club.

YOUTUBE PLAYLIST

RECORDINGS

AUDIO

PRESS QUOTES

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 Kelbie and the bassist Creese
THE TIMES UK
The Rolls-Royce and Jaguar of British rhythm sections
DJANGOSTATION FRANCE
Kelbie produced such a solid percussive rhythm you could hear why the original Quintette didn’t use a drummer
CRACKERBOX UK
Kelbie sets the direction with stoic calm
KARL LEITNER G

 
 

CALENDAR

Date

Title

Current Month

April 2025

2025fri25apr8:00 pm10:00 pmSartori • Kelbie • Ivaldi • Stupiggia • DimonteSoave Guitar FestivalSoave Guitar Festival, Italy

2025sat26apr8:00 pm10:00 pmSartori • Kelbie • Ivaldi • Stupiggia • DimonteSoave Guitar FestivalSoave Guitar Festival, Italy

2025sun27apr12:15 pm2:30 pmThe Jamboree with The Dime NotesThe JamboreeJamboree Venue, London UK

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May 2025

2025sun11may12:15 pm2:30 pmThe Jamboree with The Dime NotesThe JamboreeJamboree Venue, London UK

2025sun25may12:15 pm2:30 pmThe Jamboree with The Dime NotesThe JamboreeJamboree Venue, London UK

2025thu29may3:30 pm5:00 pmThe Dime NotesBreda FestivalBreda Festival, Breda Netherlands

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June 2025

2025thu05jun8:00 pm10:00 pmHampstead Jazz Club with The Dime NotesHampstead Jazz ClubHampstead Jazz Club, London UK

2025sun08jun8:00 pm11:00 pmThe Dime NotesDixie Days FestivalEspace Sarah Bernhardt, Sainte-Adresse France

2025tue10jun8:00 pm10:30 pmLimberger, Schafer, Kelbie, CsikosDjango in JuneSmith College Campus, Northampton, USA

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July 2025

2025sat12jul7:30 pm10:00 pmTaliesin Arts with The George WashingmachineTaliesin Arts CentreTaliesin Arts Centre, Swansea UK

2025sun13jul7:30 pm10:00 pmBorough Abergavenny with George WashingmachineThe Borough TheatreBorough Theatre, Abergavenny UK

2025tue15jul12:00 am2:00 pmCadogan Hall with George WashingmachineCadogan HallCadogan Hall, London UK

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August 2025

2025fri08aug9:00 pm11:30 pmViper ClubCruis en Jazz, CruisCour Du Cloître, Cruis, France

September 2025

2025sat27sep8:00 pm10:30 pmLafertin, Limberger, KelbieCremona MusicaCremona Musica, Cremona, Italy

2025sun28sep8:00 pm10:30 pmLafertin, Limberger, KelbieCremona MusicaCremona Musica, Cremona, Italy

October 2025

2025fri17oct8:00 pm11:00 pmViper ClubJazz Forever, BordeauxMercure Hotel, Merignac, France

2025sat18oct8:00 pm11:00 pmViper ClubJazz & Swing, BiarritzLe Colisee, Biarritz, France

2025thu23oct8:00 pm10:30 pmEngelbert Wrobel QuartetOld Time Jazz ClubOld Time Jazz Club, Meilen, Switzerland

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November 2025

2025sun02nov8:00 pm10:30 pmEngelbert Wrobel QuartetBurg NamedyBurg Namedy, Andernach, Germany

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