Tchavolo Schmitt
Encyclopedia
Tchavolo Schmitt is a noted guitarist in gypsy jazz
. He had some success with others in the 1970s, but then settled in Strasbourg
and left the professional circuit for a time. He started putting out albums under his own name in 2000. He also played Miraldo in the Tony Gatlif
film Swing.
, his ancestral region. He became influential among his peers, in particular at Porte de Montreuil or Chope des Puces in Saint-Ouen
, legendary homes of manouche swing.
In 1979, he became a professional musician, and in that year, after leaving Paris to return to his Alsatian roots, he joined the band "Hot Club da Sinti", which included the violinist Wedeli Köhler, the guitarist Schmeling Lehmann, and the bass player Jani Lehmann. A single LP recording (now a collector's item) was released in 1981. While his career paused during the 1980s, in 1993 he joined the band "Gypsy Reunion" (with, among others, Dorado Schmitt, Patrick Saussois and Gino Reinhardt). In 2000, he released the first album under his own name, with the friendly support and the active participation of Romane, titled Alors?... Voilà!. This album was followed in 2001 by Miri Familia. In 2002, he released the original soundtrack to Swing, a movie directed by Tony Gatlif
where Tchavolo Schmitt played the role of Miraldo, a guitar teacher. In 2004, Angelo Debarre
joined him to produce a tribute record to Django Reinhardt
called Mémoires, and in 2005 he released a solo album called Loutcha.
Gypsy jazz
Gypsy jazz is an idiom often said to have been started by guitarist Jean "Django" Reinhardt in the 1930s. Because its origins are largely in France it is often called by the French name, "Jazz manouche," or alternatively, "manouche jazz," even in English language sources...
. He had some success with others in the 1970s, but then settled in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
and left the professional circuit for a time. He started putting out albums under his own name in 2000. He also played Miraldo in the Tony Gatlif
Tony Gatlif
Tony Gatlif is a French film director of Romani ethnicity who also works as a screenwriter, composer, actor, and producer.- Biography :...
film Swing.
Biography
Tchavolo Schmitt was introduced to the guitar at the age of 6 by his mother; his father played the violin. He developed, with time, a virtuosity in the manouche style and his renown rapidly exceeded the limits of AlsaceAlsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, his ancestral region. He became influential among his peers, in particular at Porte de Montreuil or Chope des Puces in Saint-Ouen
Saint-Ouen
-France:Saint-Ouen is the name of several communes in France:* Saint-Ouen, Charente-Maritime, in the Charente-Maritime département* Saint-Ouen, Loir-et-Cher, in the Loir-et-Cher département* Saint-Ouen, Somme, in the Somme département...
, legendary homes of manouche swing.
In 1979, he became a professional musician, and in that year, after leaving Paris to return to his Alsatian roots, he joined the band "Hot Club da Sinti", which included the violinist Wedeli Köhler, the guitarist Schmeling Lehmann, and the bass player Jani Lehmann. A single LP recording (now a collector's item) was released in 1981. While his career paused during the 1980s, in 1993 he joined the band "Gypsy Reunion" (with, among others, Dorado Schmitt, Patrick Saussois and Gino Reinhardt). In 2000, he released the first album under his own name, with the friendly support and the active participation of Romane, titled Alors?... Voilà!. This album was followed in 2001 by Miri Familia. In 2002, he released the original soundtrack to Swing, a movie directed by Tony Gatlif
Tony Gatlif
Tony Gatlif is a French film director of Romani ethnicity who also works as a screenwriter, composer, actor, and producer.- Biography :...
where Tchavolo Schmitt played the role of Miraldo, a guitar teacher. In 2004, Angelo Debarre
Angelo Debarre
Angelo Debarre is a Romani guitarist in the manouche jazz style.He began playing at age 8 and in 1984 started his first group, the Angelo Debarre Quintet...
joined him to produce a tribute record to Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
called Mémoires, and in 2005 he released a solo album called Loutcha.
Family
His cousin Dorado Schmitt is also a gypsy jazz guitarist, as are Dorado's sons Samson, Bronson and Amati.Discography
- 1981 : "Hot Club da Sinti", Wonderful (Linkshändle Records, 0181 LR)
- 1993 : "Gypsy Réunion", Swing 93 (Djaz Records, DJ 515-2)
- 2000 : Alors ?… Voilà ! (Iris Music, 3001 831)
- 2001 : Miri Familia (Djaz Records, DJ 721-2)
- 2002 : Swing with Mandino Reinhardt, soundtrack of Tony Gatlif's movie (Warner Music France WEA, 092744936-2)
- 2004 : Mémoires, with Angelo Debarre (Le Chant du Monde (Harmonia Mundi) 274 1230)
- 2005 : Loutcha (Le Chant du Monde (Harmonia Mundi) 274 1330)
- 2007 : Seven gypsy nights
Filmography
- 1992 : Latcho DromLatcho DromLatcho Drom is a 1993 French documentary film directed and written by Tony Gatlif . The movie is about the Romani people's journey from north-west India to Spain, consisting primarily of music...
, directed by Tony Gatlif - 2001 : Swing, directed by Tony Gatlif (DVD and VHS, Montparnasse)