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20th Annual DJANGO REINHARDT FESTIVAL: 2024
celebration of the Life & Legacy of the King of Gypsy Jazz,
Jean Baptiste "Django" Reinhardt (1910-1953)
…3 Nights of Film, Live Music, & French Ambience presented by Arts Fifth Avenue
FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY
JANUARY 26, 27 & 28 2024
$35 One-night, $90 for Three Nights (choose any date for 3-night option)
We will be offering our “taste” of Country French cuisine (Coffee and Tea included.) Other concessions by donation
Friday, January 26
Doors open at 6:30, Movie at 7:00, Music at 8:00
Marcelo Berestovoy & Friends
Marcelo Berestovoy - Guitar
Stefanie Pepping- Vocals/Banjo
Stefanie Pepping, a Texas-based jazz singer and banjo player, blends Dixieland, gypsy jazz, and western swing into musical sets that transports listeners back in time, Midnight in Paris style. Her music pays homage to the spirit of Django Reinhardt and gypsy jazz, incorporating the sultry stylings of Billie Holiday, the timeless elegance of Peggy Lee, and the emotive depth of Patsy Cline into her repertoire. Her voice, a vessel of raw emotion, takes audiences on an emotional rollercoaster, navigating the highs and lows of love, loss, and life's poignant moments.
Stefanie grew up with a love for music, singing at church and in choir, and performing at Carnegie Hall, the Empire State Building, and The Montecarlo in Las Vegas. As she continued to develop her style, she took a deeper dive into jazz and its history, learning about the significance of the banjo in the original Dixieland bands. She was delighted to discover that her Grandpa Clarence secretly left behind a tenor banjo, the same kind that was used in Dixieland, and she has been chunking along on it ever since. Stefanie started playing in DFW with the Dave Burris Group on Sunday nights at The Balcony Club in 2011. She has since played at Sons of Hermann Hall, Revelers Hall, The Kessler, Bastille on Bishop, The Sammons Center, The Free Man, Twilite Lounge, Oddfellows and other swing dances and private events. You can find her nowadays singing with her band Sassafras Swing, and occasionally tearing up the dance floor.
Max Robertson- Mandolin/Guitar
Max Robertson is a mandolinist and guitarist based in Dallas. He has performed in the metroplex for the last 15 years and enjoys playing a variety of styles such as manouche jazz, traditional jazz, western swing, and bluegrass/Americana. He currently performs regularly with Marcelo Berestovoy, La Pompe, Sassafras Swing, Matthew Banks, and the comedy mash-up group "There I Ruined It".
Reo Casey- Bass
Reo Casey is a multi-instrumentalist and singer born in Dallas, TX. He has played hundreds of gigs, sometimes as a bandleader and sometimes backing up other artists. His playing has been featured on releases from such legendary Blues labels as Alligator and Delmark, as well as others. He continues to admire classic Texas music while working to build his own contemporary sound.
Chris Curiel- Trumpet
Chris Curiel is a Dallas based trumpeter who has been performing professionally for over 30 years. After his formal education at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and the University of North Texas, he has been on a creative journey that continues to push and drive him to discover new sounds, genres, and collaborations. From jazz and blues to indie rock and avant-garde, he has performed for audiences worldwide. He created Flipside that pushed the boundaries of avant-gard and free jazz with roots in the “Dallas Creative Sound Movement”. He also was the original trumpeter with the rock orchestra, Polyphonic Spree, touring for the first few years of the band and recording on the first two albums. Chris currently performs often in Dallas as a freelance horn player as well as with his group Swirve, and Krude which features him on trumpet running through a barrage of electronics, spoken word, and,drums. He also is the featured horn player with Sassafras Swing and plays often with Dave Washburn’s Three Quarters Fast Band.
Saturday, January 27
Doors open at 6:30, Movie at 7:00, Music at 8:00
Gypsy Moon
Francie Meaux Jeaux with Jimmie Dreams, & Katie Shore
Katie Shore
Like many fiddlers, Katie was inspired at a young age by her Grandfather. At six years old she told her parents she wanted to "play music you can clap your hands and stomp your feet to". Hailing from Ft. Worth "Cowtown", Tx, Katie grew up playing in a world of strong fiddle traditions, attending fiddle contests, music camps such as Mark O'Connor's and Johnny Gimble's, and with some classical training, was part of the Ft Worth Youth Orchestra. After receiving an Associates Degree in Commercial Music in 2008, Katie moved to Austin, Tx. In addition to becoming a luthier and teacher, Katie leads her own project and has performed and collaborated with musicians including The Jitterbug Vipers, Continental Graffiti, Ghosts Along the Brazos, Willie Nelson and George Strait. Inspired by many styles and cultures, Katie's voice and fiddle have taken her around the country and abroad. The female vocalist and fiddle player for 9-time Grammy Award winning band, Asleep at the Wheel, from 2014 to 2022, Katie looks forward to every new adventure and opportunity to sing and play!
Sunday, January 28
Doors open at 5:30, Movie at 6:00, Music at 7:00
Kim Platko & String Theory Manouche
Kim Platko - guitar
Kirill Rashkolenko - Violin
Jason Jones - guitar
Nathan Phelps - bass
With lots of inspiration from Django Type your paragraph here.
Reinhardt was an important influence on the likes of contemporary guitarists such as Les Paul, Charlie Christian, B.B. King, Jerry Garcia, and Chet Atkins. With no formal training, the Roma guitarist created a new style of music in the 1930s and '40s that came to be dubbed "gypsy jazz." His playing was at times joyous, fierce and lyrical, and his intensity was such that he's one of the few European musicians to exert a serious influence on the American art form of jazz.
TAP NOW SUMMER WORKSHOP
HERE WE GO!
Saturday, July 24 , 2021
10 am - 4 pm
WE ARE KEEPING IT SIMPLE. DUST OFF YOUR SHOES AND EASE BACK INTO TAP ON THE AVENUE – LET’S JUST FLAP AND SHUFFLE AROUND
Tap Now Fees:
1 Class $20, 2 Classes $35, All Day Pass $70
To register: visit sign-up form on website
or email: artsfifthavenue@aol.com, call: 817-923-9500
Experienced
10:00 am – 11:00am Renee Boydstun (Guest Artist)
Get Those Feet Moving Again
Warmup and Tap Technique – with the wonderful Renee - what a gift she is!
Beginners
10:00 am – 11:00 am Gracey Tune
Let’s Learn to Tap – we have shoes
Experienced
11:15 am – 12:15 pm Dale Luna
Rhythms One - Fun Rhythms for dancers
Intermediate/Experienced
11:15 am – 12:15 pm Renee Boydstun
Tap Dance with Renee – her combination and style – what a treat.
Let’s take A Tap Break
12:15 pm
“I like the Rhythm Time Step Break” how about you?
We will have some healthy snacks to get us going again and have some time to visit!
Intermediate/Experienced
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Dale Luna
Bits and Pieces – Dale’s fun Rhythms
All skill levels
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Gracey Tune
The Chair Dance – combinations from the Copasetics - created for Bill Robinson
WE CAN DO IT. Learn a little or a Lot!
Type your paragraph here.
- TAP WITH GRACEY TUNE & DALE LUNA
Saturday, March 20, 2021
Experienced Tappers with Dale
12:00 pm-1:00 pm
Introduction to Tap with Gracey
1:00 pm-2:00 pm
Free
A5A Outdoor Stage
Weather Permitting
Reservations recommended by emailing artsfifthavenue@aol.com
Social distancing and masks observed
Arts Fifth Avenue is proud to offer tap classes taught by world renowned instructors! We offer classes for students of all ages and levels. National Tap Dance Day is May 25.
For questions, email/call: Gracey, artsfifthavenue@aol.com, 817-923-9500
or Dale, dale4tap@sbcglobal.net
SUPPORT
ARTS FIFTH AVENUE
AND DONATE TODAY!
String Theory: Einstein's theory that the universe is made up of very tiny vibrating strings
Manouche: in France, the gypsie people are called Manouche, therefore their music is called "Jazz Manouche." (or in english - Gypsy Jazz)
The band name is a sort of play on words as they are a band made up of vibrating strings playing Jazz Manouche
A graduate of the Arts Magnet High School in Dallas and East Texas State University, John Hewitt has performed with many bands based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has traveled with The Texas Gypsies, Cyndie Sledge and Maurice Anderson.
32nd ANNUAL NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY
Tuesday, May 25, 2021, 8 pm
Free, outdoor stage
Here is what you should expect...
32nd Annual National Tap Dance Day at Arts Fifth Avenue will be a tap party!
No Big Show – just folks tap dancing for our love of tap.
WE will dance the Shim Sham and the Copasetic Chair Dance in honor of Bill Robinson.
We will have dear friend and special guest Eli Holley and the Fort Worth Swing Dance Syndicate. 15-20 minutes of dancing – then pizza and fun for all.
If it rains, we will come inside. We will also watch films from all the years of Tap Day.
Protocol for on-stage and indoors:
1. Vaccinated and have card
2. Not Vaccinated - wear a mask
WE HAVE MASKS AND HAND SANITIZER AND WILL BE VERY CAREFUL WITH EVERYTHING.
LET’S TAP, SWING AND HAVE FUN!
GRACEY
Dustin Ballard is a local violinist/fiddler with a passion for anything that swings. He has played in the western swing band, Shoot Low Sheriff for 14 years. Dustin was first introduced to gypsy jazz by James Miller, who he'll have the honor of playing with on Saturday.
He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and two little boys.
Marcelo Berestovoy is an independent artist, musician, and music educator with a rich musical history that includes a long list of recording credits, international touring and writing with some of the biggest names in Latin music and Hollywood films.
Born and raised in Argentina, Marcelo was exposed to different styles of music from an early age and started with the guitar at age 11, becoming a full time music student by the age of 15 in Buenos Aires where he started performing and teaching before moving to Los Angeles to further his music studies.
Marcelo was a teacher at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA for 11 years, has published numerous articles (in English and Spanish) in some of the major music publications and is currently living in Dallas Texas where he performs regularly leading his band.
As he grew older, his father got him listening to his Django Reinhardt collection and took him out to listen to live Jazz. That was another turning point. He realized that jazz improvisation was what he really wanted to learn, and in 1985 he decided to move to Los Angeles to attend GIT, the guitar program of Musicians Institute. At MI he had a chance to learn from some amazing players like Joe Pass, Scott Henderson, Joe Diorio & Robben Ford.
SPRING 3rd WALK-BY ART GALLERY
"SPRING IS IN THE AIR"
April 19-May 16, 2021, 24 hrs/day
Cost: Free
This is our biggest gallery yet, with 116 pieces of art for you to enjoy!
A free event in which students, parents, friends, artists & neighbors created a work of art to fill one of our 100+ windows .
A new concept, an outdoor gallery in Fort Worth, Arts Fifth Avenue invites you to see our 3rd outdoor Spring walk-by gallery. With over 100 windows, we are inviting students, parents, friends, artists and neighbors to fill our windows with art!
You can walk-by, dance-by, drive-by or cycle-by a one-of-a-kind gallery for the people. This is the only outdoor gallery you will find in the Southwest! Grab your honey and make it a date night or an afternoon stroll in the Historic Fairmount District.
The Arts are Alive on the Southside!
Bobby Counts began his musical journey as a teenager, quickly performing in local Fort Worth teen clubs. As he mastered his guitar and bass, he was drafted into better and more professional groups, finally finding himself opening for Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas. When pop/country stars The Bellamy Brothers saw him perform they asked him to join their tour.
Upon returning home, Bobby found himself in many diverse groups playing all styles of music. As music producer, he created “Christmastime In Cowtown” Volumes 1-3 featuring musicians from the DFW area. Never overlooking new opportunities, he now has teamed up with Ms. Tootie Latte to make music history new again.
VALENTINE'S 2ND WALK-BY ART GALLERY
"WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE"
"LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER"
February 14th-March 14th, 2021
TIME: 24 hours/day, day or night with solar powered flood lights!
COST: FREE
A new concept, an outdoor gallery in Fort Worth, Arts Fifth Avenue invites you to see our 2nd outdoor Valentine’s walk-by gallery. With over 100 windows, we invited students, parents, friends, artists and neighbors to fill our windows with art and words of LOVE!
You can walk-by, dance-by, drive-by or cycle-by a one-of-a-kind gallery for the people. This is the only outdoor gallery you will find in the Southwest! Grab your honey and make it a date night or an afternoon stroll in the Historic Fairmount District.
The Arts are Alive on the Southside!
Please practice social distancing and wear a mask.
ARTS FIFTH AVENUE
1628 5TH AVENUE
FORT WORTH, TX
76179
817-923-9500
The soul of Django Reinhardt and the spirit of Stéphane Grappelli imbue the music of Kim Platko and his “String Theory Manouche” with both its lively verve and its melancholy minor keys.
Kim has been a versatile guitarist in the DFW area since 1980. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Texas where he was a member of the acclaimed One’o’clock Jazz Band.
Kim was inducted into Buddy Music Magazine’s ‘Texas Tornados’ hall of fame in 1987. He appeared on recordings by Dallas Jazz Orchestra, Ricardo Arjona, Pete Petersen’s Jazz Collection, BW Stevenson, Cafe Noir, Jimmy La Fave, Meadows Wind Ensemble, Gina Loren-Bellamy, and has provided accompaniment for artists such as Ellis Hall, Jason Alexander, Frank Sinatra Jr., Bernadette Peters, Van Morrison, Joe Williams, Del Shannon, Carol Burnette, The Coasters, Billy Eckstein, Aurturo Sandoval, and other.
Panther City Players
present Bad Luck At Boot Lick
(an old fashioned melodrama)
by Connie Whitt-Lambert
July 23, 24, 25,
July 30, 31, August 1, 2021
8 pm, outdoor stage
$10 Suggested donation
All proceeds benefit Arts 5th Avenue.
Directed by Seth Johnston
Featuring: Tim Crabb, Rachel Glass, David Kersh, Fred Patterson, Lauren Peters, Elizabeth Webb & Nicholas Zebrun
BYOC (Bring your own chair)
BYOBeverage. Popcorn available for eating and throwing. Suggested donation $1/bag
Join us for a socially distanced clapping, booing, popcorn throwing good time on the outdoor stage at Arts 5th Avenue.
If you've been vaccinated, feel free not to wear a mask. Please, all unvaccinated folks need to be masked. We will have masks and sanitizer available for your use.
Artists: Sally Gulde @sallycarnsdesign | Sarah Harmet | Karen Tucker Crystal Tucker @iamcrystalt
I AM THANKFUL FOR...
THANKSGIVING 1st WALK BY GALLERY EXHIBIT
November 25-December 31, 2020
We invited students, parents, friends, artists, neighbors to display their art work in the exhibition celebrating what we are thankful for. We have received some of the most endearing pieces of art .100+ windows that now fill the windows of Arts Fifth Avenue with artful expressions of gratitude!
PAST EVENTS
LIVE MUSIC WITH TOOTIE LATTE & BOBBY COUNTS
ACCORDIAN | GUITAR | VOCALS
Saturday, March 13, 2021
3:00 pm-4:00 pm
Free
A5A Outdoor Stage
Weather Permitting
Enjoy some live music on our outdoor stage! Tootie and Bobby will be playing love songs to close out the end of our Valentine's Walk-by Art Gallery.
For questions, email/call: artsfifthavenue.org, 817-923-9500
James Miller plays rhythm guitar with Marcelo Berestovoy, Dustin Ballard and John Hewitt. He used to play as often as possible with an eclectic group of swing enthusiasts covering everything from Western Swing (Eric Swanson, pre Shoot Low Sheriff ) to Django Reinhardt (Kim Platko, with his String Theory Manouche group) before moving to Massachusetts a few years back.
Now he spends his long winters in the frozen tundra remembering longingly the amazing swing scene DFW has to offer, which also includes breakfast tacos, warm weather, great margarita’s, and of course the extra special Django gatherings that can be experienced at Arts 5th Avenue!
FORT WORTH AFRICAN AMERICAN ROOTS
VIRTUAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Saturday, March 13, 2021
The Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival was created to deepend the history and broaden the local arts scene by sowing the seeds of a new music community, and placing Fort Worth in the vanguard bringing awareness to an often forgotten piece of America's musical history. Come join us for a day of performances, jams and dancing with award-winning artists from around the country representing the African American past, present, and future of old time, jug band, early blues, jazz, and beyond.
For more information visit fwaamusicfest.com
or contact fwaamusicfest@gmail.com
Tootie began playing the accordion when she was 6 years old. She played in school talent shows, church functions, Fort Worth Women’s Society, recitals and other venues. She also took band and played French Horn. Upon graduation, Tootie didn’t find many opportunities to play the accordion professionally so she joined corporate America while occasionally playing her accordion.
She played off and on during the years and continued with her love of dancing. She tap dances at A5A and learned at an early age to Cha Cha, droppable-1622688700199Two Step, Waltz, Polka and more! Tootie gets so much joy in entertaining and engaging with audiences.
When Tootie met Bobby Counts, he encouraged her to start playing and singing. Bobby is an awesome mentor! He filled in the gaps with music theory and taught her improvisation. She changed her office into a music room as her heart was on fire playing music!
Thank God for Bobby Counts! Of course, as they say, the rest is history! It’s never too late to live happily ever after!
Happy Happy Joy Joy
DJANGO IN JUNE...JUST THE MUSIC
June 5-6, 2021
8:00 pm, INSIDE
Cost: (1) night for $20 or (2) nights for $35
Saturday, June 5th, 8 pm
Marcelo Berestovoy - Guitar
James Miller - Guitar & Vocals
Dustin Ballard - Violin
John Hewitt - Bass
Tribute to Eric Swanson, member of the Texas Gypsies and founder of Shoot Low Sheriff.
Sunday, June 6th, 8pm
"String Theory Manouche"
Kim Platko - Guitar
Wana Hong - Violin
Jason Jones - Guitar
Mark Deffebach - Bass
Bobby Counts - Guitar
Tootie Latte - Accordion