Ryan Picone Quartet- Django in Paris

Django Reinhardt, Paris, Manouche

This show features original compositions influenced by Django Reinhardt’s compositions and performances in Paris.

Ryan Picone: Lead Guitar
Jose Betanzos: Rhythm Guitar
Patrick Harison: Accordion
Matt Blake: Upright Bass

The Ryan Picone Quartet stands at the crossroads of tradition and imagination — where the timeless swing of Django Reinhardt meets the colors and rhythms of the world. Guided by his mentor Stéphane Wrembel, guitarist and composer Ryan Picone weaves a sound that is at once rooted and restless, drawing from Rumba Flamenca, Choro, Cuban, Indian Classical, Post-Minimalist, and Classical traditions. In 2025, the Quartet not only celebrated its expanding vision by featuring the world-renowned Sinti guitarist Paulus Schafer, but also on July 25, 2025 brought together 14 Twin Cities musicians for the first Twin Cities Djangofest in over twenty years. Now, as they record their second album—set for release in Fall 2026—the ensemble continues to blur boundaries between jazz and world music, crafting a sound that feels both timeless and entirely new.

Review by author, Michael Dregni. “Swinging, sensual, moody, rousing — Ryan Picone Quartet’s music follows the trail of Django Reinhardt’s Gypsy jazz. Listening to these tracks, you can almost smell the campfire smoke and see the nighttime lights of Paris burning on the horizon. Bon voyage!”

www.ryanpicone.com