"Django's music is like a collective, it draws people near." 

They began with Thanks To The Gypsies, transporting us into the Gypsy caravan world. They played an Ode to a Baguette, Xar, queen of the slap bass on this one!  Richard very fast, vicious on guitar, then going from ferocious to a sweet melody Cause I Love Her.  Fleche D'Or (French for Golden Arrow.) 

Richard plays a Dell Arte "Oval" hole  acoustic guitar that was modeled after Django's Selmer's (with a "D" hole),  because he feels it is "warmer, and has more bark, whereas the Selmer is creamy and rude."

He first was attracted to guitars when traveling through Virginia in his father's car at age 6, with his head on his father's lap - in front of the radio. 

They were listening to Country Music - Chet Atkins, Merle Haggard.  But later, when he heard Django - it all came together. 

He's been playing gypsy music ever since.

He says if it weren't for Django, he wouldn't be here playing guitar.

Instead of a pick, Ryan sometimes uses all the fingers of his right hand to provide rhythm,  slapping the guitar at the same time,  making a drum sound. 

Now this kind of music is played all over Europe, and an open air Django Reinhardt Jazz Festival is organized every year in May in his birth village Liberchies, municipality of Pont-à-Celles Belgium.   There is also the annual Festival de Jazz Django Reinhardt held in the last full weekend in June in Samois-sur-Seine, France (Vince Giordano and Molly Ryan attended this year).  And there are Django Fests in the northwest U.S.

Richard says Django's music is "Musical laughter, and joy".   Thank you, Tyra, for bringing your friends, Ameranouche, and their joyful, Gypsy Music into our neighborhood.