Dave Kelbie
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
CLASSICA FRANCE
THE GUARDIAN UK
JAZZ DA GAMA USA
MOORS MAGAZINE HOLLAND
INVERNESS COURRIER UK
JAZZMANN UK
THE TIMES UK
DJANGOSTATION FRANCE
CRACKERBOX UK
KARL LEITNER G
CALENDAR
April 2025
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