Mini-Concert | The Gypsy Swing Cats | Athenaeum Music & Arts Library

The San Diego based Gypsy Swing Cats perform an energetic, innovated blend of swing, jazz, and blues. Their music merges gypsy melodies and rhythms, with the influences of American jazz reminiscent of Paris in the 1930s: cool, charming, and classy. The music of The Gypsy Swing Cats is thoroughly modern infused with the wild, mysteriously free and exciting gypsy flavors.

Gypsy jazz, also known as gypsy swing, is a musical expression often said to have been started by guitarist Jean “Django” Reinhardt. He was foremost amongst a group of gypsy guitarists working in and around Paris in the 1930s. The music combined the exciting sound of American jazz that transformed the old into the new. The guitarists supercharged the music further by adding swing to the fire and melancholia of the unique gypsy sound. The tantalizing melodies of The Gypsy Swing Cats bring the audience a unique and new experience. Their highly rhythmic sound will electrify.

Free concerts at noon every Monday year-round . . . no wonder the Mini-Concerts are the longest-running and one of the most popular classical music series at the library! This series was founded by Glenna Hazleton in 1970 at the Athenaeum, and has been going strong ever since. The concerts feature both local and touring musicians, prize-winning students, university music faculty members, local chamber ensembles. . . and the repertoire also includes jazz, folk, and world music. There are no reservations, no tickets . . . just line up at the side door of the Athenaeum before noon. (Donations are always welcome!) Mini-Concerts take place every Monday at noon and last about an hour.

The concerts will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for these events. Doors open at 11:50 a.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. These events will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of each concert.