Event

The Greg Ruby 6

Seattle-based guitarist, composer, bandleader and educator Greg Ruby specializes in jazz music from the first half of the 20th century. Described as Seattles premier hot guitarist, by Earshot Jazz Magazine, his most recent record, Syncopated Classic was awarded the Golden Ear Award in the Northwest Recording of the Year category.

Rubys new project celebrates the compositions and arrangements of Oscar Alemán, who became a master of swing-style guitar in Paris, and later, the tango, in Buenos Aires. According to Ruby, I was inspired by Alemáns sense of swing and his command of the guitar with his fiery flourishes, immense tone, and punctuating articulation.

At age 20 Oscar Alemán moved from his homeland, Argentina, to Paris, eventually joining the Josephine Baker band. Alemán was a huge success with Baker, and with her he lived a golden decade in the Paris of the 1930s. They played at the Café de Paris and toured all over Europe, travelling as far as French speaking North Africa. In Paris played with American jazz musicians and hung out at the Hot Club, where he became friendly with Django Reinhardt. The two men held each other in great respect, occasionally appearing together as the Indian and the Gypsy.

The Greg Ruby 6 featuring an all-star Seattle lineup with Greg Ruby (lead guitar), Julian Smedley (violin), Saul Cline (reeds), DVonne Lewis (drums), Ryan Hoffman (rhythm guitar) and Matt Weiner (bass).