Hot Club Roma – Gypsy Jazz Band

The Hot Club Roma was born in 2005 from an idea by Gianfranco Malorgio and his passion for the music of the great Belgian composer and performer “Django Reinhardt.” In the early musical period, the band was formed by Gianfranco Malorgio, two guitarists from Cremona, Carmelo Tartamella (lead guitar), Jacopo Delfini (rhythm guitar), Roman clarinetist Luca Velotti, and double bassist Renato Gattone. The group worked on an initial project and performed in prestigious venues in Rome and various Italian festivals.

This project led them to release their first CD “Swing From Rome” published by “Wide Sound Records”. In 2007, the collaboration with guitarist “Dario Pinelli” began. With him, Gianfranco Malorgio collaborated in numerous concerts in Italy and abroad and participated in the making of a video clip “The Vamp” by the Italian Gypsy Jazz Trio, TRJ records editions. Still with Dario Pinelli, they recorded with Cinik Records two tracks for the soundtrack of the Italian film, “La Casa Sulle Nuvole” directed by Claudio Giovannesi (music by Enrico Melozzi and Claudio Giovannesi, editions Warner Chappell). The film’s music won the “Roma Videoclip” award in 2009 as the best Italian Cinematic soundtrack of the year.

In the summer of 2008, Gianfranco Malorgio was called to participate in the Acri (Cs) Festival dedicated to Manouche music, where he performed on stage in two concerts, the first with the “Dario Pinelli Quartet” and the second with the great “Angelo Debarre”, undoubtedly one of the greatest interpreters of Gypsy Jazz, Dario Pinelli, Walter Clerici, Luca Mannutza on piano. In August 2009, the rhythm section of the Hot Club Roma, Gianfranco Malorgio had the honor of accompanying one of the greatest interpreters of Gypsy Jazz “Dorado Schmitt” in a concert held in Rome in the beautiful setting of Villacelimontana.

The lineup:

Dorado Schmitt Italian Quartet- Dorado Schmitt on lead guitar, violin, and vocals; Walter Clerici on rhythm/solo guitar; Gianfranco Malorgio on rhythm guitar; Renato Gattone on double bass.

“Django Mon Amour” In December 2010, the Hot Club Roma released the second CD born from a new project, in collaboration with violinist Tim Kliphuis, one of the most appreciated in Europe and the World, and Moreno Viglione, a talented Roman guitarist.

The project retraces the path traced by Django Reinhardt, with typical songs from the repertoire of the great Belgian musician.

The musicians participating in the project: Moreno Viglione on lead guitar, Gianfranco Malorgio on rhythm guitar, Marco Loddo on double bass, featuring: Tim Kliphuis on violin, Emanuele Rastelli on accordion.

The recordings were made on the occasion of the Tim Kliphuis & Hot Club Roma concert, held on August 3, 2010, at the “Villa Sarsina Gypsy Jazz Fest” in Anzio Roma. In the same year, Gianfranco Malorgio participated in the making of the new cd of the “Big Night Jive Orchestra”. The CD was released in December 2010 by “Sifare” Music editions.

For three editions, from 2010 to 2012, Gianfranco Malorgio curated the Artistic Direction, together with the MusicAnzio association of Rodolfo Tucci, of the “VILLA SARSINA GYPSY JAZZ FEST”.

On those occasions, Gianfranco Malorgio had the opportunity to play in various concerts with internationally renowned artists: Dorado Schmitt, Samson Schmitt, Tim Kliphuis. The festival also featured accordionist Richard Galliano, Moni Ovadia accompanied by Rom and Gaggè, Giorgio Tirabassi.

In 2012, the meeting with Giorgio Tirabassi, also a great enthusiast of Django’s music, marked a turning point for the Hot Club Roma.

Gianfranco Malorgio proposed to Giorgio Tirabassi to stage Django’s life in a show where, in addition to playing the guitar, he tells the most important steps, anecdotes, and tragedies that characterized the life of this great musician – entitled “Django Reinhardt, the lightning with three fingers” subsequently represented in various theaters and festivals and with which they opened the “Roma Jazz Festival 2014” at the Teatro Torlonia.

Again with Tirabassi, the HCR played in quintet in London on two dates on January 24 and 25, 2015, at the famous venue dedicated to Django “Le Quecumbar” the lineup: Giorgio Tirabassi, Moreno Viglione, Gianfranco Malorgio, Gian Piero Lo Piccolo, and Renato Gattone.

They also participated, always in quintet with Tirabassi, in radio broadcasts: Rai Radio2 StaiSerena; Radio Rock Roma, and guests at Webnotte Repubblica Tv for two editions where Moreno Viglione also played with Marck Hanna’s Resident Band for many editions.

2016 starts in London, again at “Le QuecumBar” with two quartet concerts on January 24 and 25 on the occasion of Django’s Birthday, the most important event proposed by the venue.

The lineup: Moreno Viglione, Gianfranco Malorgio, Gian Piero Lo Piccolo, and Renato Gattone.