THE JOHN JORGENSON QUINTET AT CULVER CITY CITY HALL-7PM-FREE!! RESERVED SEATS $10

Summer breezes… an intimate courtyard… free parking… and great music. Escape to Culver City to Culver City’s Boulevard Music Summer Festival. This year Boulevard Music presents 6 free concerts on Thursday evenings at 7 pm from July 6 through August 10 in the palm-lined courtyard of Culver City City Hall. Become an entry level sponsor by purchasing one of the 100 premium reserved seats for sale at $10 each per show available at Boulevard Music. Tickets go on sale June 9. These summer concerts are produced by Gary Mandell of Boulevard Music.

The Culver City City Hall Courtyard is located at 9770 Culver Blvd. in Downtown Culver City (corner Culver Blvd. and Duquesne Ave.).  Parking is free for two hours with concert validation in designated structures in the Downtown area. The courtyard opens at 4:30 pm. No glass containers or alcoholic beverages may be brought into City Hall Courtyard. Only service dogs may be brought into the courtyard. For more information, call 310-398-2583.

This week we present The John Jorgenson Quintet

The John Jorgenson Quintet was originally formed in 2004 for the release of “Franco American Swing”. The Gypsy Jazz they perform reminds one of the string-driven swing created by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in 1930’s Paris, but Jorgenson’s compositions draw in elements from Latin, Romanian, Classical, Rock and Greek music. Calling it “21st Century World Music” might be a better description.

John Jorgenson, known for his blistering guitar and mandolin licks and mastery of a broad musical palette, has earned a reputation as a world-class musician, as evidenced by his collaborations with Earl Scruggs, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Dylan and many others.

First coming to national attention in the mid ‘80s as co-founder of successful country-rock act The Desert Rose Band, Jorgenson won the Academy of Country Music’s “Guitarist of the Year” award two consecutive years. In the ‘90s The Hellecasters gave audiences a chance to experience John’s fretboard fireworks. Elton John invited Jorgenson to join his band in 1994 for an 18 month tour that stretched into a six-year stint of touring, recording and TV appearances with the British superstar, in addition to collaborations with other artists including Sting and Billy Joel.

2010 marked the 100th birthday of the great gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. Since discovering Django in 1979, Jorgenson has become “the US Ambassador of Gypsy Jazz” which is quite an honor given the distinctly European slant of the music’s heritage. Over the years Jorgenson has continued to honor the legacy of Reinhardt by bringing his unique brand of Gypsy Jazz to the masses with his John Jorgenson Quintet.

At performances of the John Jorgenson Quintet, audiences are awestruck by not only Jorgenson’s skillful guitar playing, but the solo clarinet and bouzouki as well. Djangobooks perfectly articulates, “If he comes around, don’t miss him. The show is golden. The music soars.”

“John Jorgenson is one of the most respected guitarists in the world…” – LOS ANGELES TIMES

http://www.johnjorgenson.com

Culver City’s Boulevard Music Festival is sponsored by The City of Culver City, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Boulevard Music, Culver Studios, John Riordan Plumbing, Culver City Volvo & Mazda, Maxam Properties, Swiss Motors, Sorrento Market, Papa John’s Pizza, D & E Associates, Orchard Supply, Mateo’s Ice Cream, Hillside Memorial Park, Cavanaugh Realty, Dolce Realtors, Marriott Hotel, Michael Kayem Remax, Public School 310, Music Munchers, Culver Hotel, Dynagraphics, Culver City News, Culver City Observer, Steeldeck Inc, Eastman Guitars, Kremona USA, Ohana Ukuleles, and Ernie Ball.