On the heels of their national tour, the George Cole Quintet rings in the second evening of the Esprit de Django et Stephane Festival celebrating the release of their new CD, Riverside Drive. The quintet's ‘Eurocana' style celebrates music of the great American songbook with inspiration from Django Reinhardt gypsy jazz. Timeless original compositions like the new single, "Ridin' to the Poorhouse," feature guitar and vocals by George, the throwback vocals of mezzo-soprano Molly Mahoney, virtuoso violinist Julian Smedley, propulsive rhythm guitarist Jimmy Grant, and the note perfect upright bass work of Christopher Bastian. Tonight's special guests include violin star Alen Cileli, clarinet and saxophone virtuoso Jim Rothermel, and guitar prodigy Nick Tubach.

In addition to performing with his quintet, George Cole currently teaches Gypsy jazz guitar at the Freight. Says Art Thompson of Guitar Player magazine, "Cole's excellent Django-style guitar work and his band's enticing instrumental and vocal harmonies make them a must-see for any fan of vintage jazz."

See our class schedule and workshop schedule for George's teaching at the Freight.

Visit George's website

Listen to a track from George Cole: