GIG: LULO REINHARDT

Sharing a surname with one of the most renowned jazz guitarists of all time must be tough for Lulo Reinhardt (the great Django was his grand-uncle), but I suppose he does alright. A legend in his own right, Lulo is a master gypsy guitarist – which is a style that is influenced by everything from flamenco to swing to jazz and bossa nova. If that description furthered your uncertainty on what ‘gypsy jazz’ actually sounds like, it’s because it is extremely hard to put a label on. By all accounts, Lulo’s show is a wild and eclectic ride, suffused with spontaneity and spirit and never lacking in enthralment. Basically: a sonic interpretation of the romantic gypsy lifestyle. Lulo learnt to play guitar at age five, and has been performing professionally since the age of 12. He has brought two guitars with him on this tour (which takes in 30 dates across Australia): a custom-made Indian rosewood and lapis lazuli-inlaid instrument that he designed himself. This promises to be a magic night. Not quite the dark Parisian jazz bar that Django played in the 1930s, but The Basement is a fairly good replica. So, feed your inner gypsy, head down to The Basement and enjoy the musical stylings of Lulo Reinhardt.

Mar 18, 9.30pm, The Basement, 29 Reiby Place, Circular Quay, from $45, 9251 2797, thebasement.com.au