China’s premier gypsy jazz ensemble, The Hot Club of Beijing was founded in Beijing on January 23rd2010. This date marks the 100th birthday of gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt who is credited as being the creator of gypsy jazz as well as founder of the legendary band The Hot Club of France.

The Hot Club of Beijing is truly a time machine band, which takes listeners on a journey back to the 30s / 40s. They continue to carry on the tradition of legend Django Reinhardt as well as perform traditional gypsy waltzes, American swing classics, fiery Latin pieces and even traditional Chinese and Italian tunes. This melting pot of influences creates aunique experience you never been before.

Since its inception, The Hot Club of Beijing has been extremely active all over China. They took apart in lots of festivals, like Dali Music Festival, Tianjin Hanma Festival and so on.They also worked with many famous brands, like Ferrari, Louis Vuitton, Air France, INSTITUT FRANÇAIS. In 2012 and 2013 and 2017 the band won the category for Best Local Band in the Beijing City Weekend Reader’ s Choice Awards three times.

The HCOB released their live CD recorded at Dusk Dawn Club (DDC) in 2016 and in summer of 2017 the band released their studio album entitled Autumn Leaves.

MEMBERS

Vince Vahram / Guitar, Voice（France）

Douglas Martin / Guitar (US)

Pikar Rozi / Double Bass (Xinijang, China)

Claude Azizaj / Drums (France)

Toni Moretso / Clarinet (France)

Vince Vahram - Singer, Rhythm Guitar

Born in Nice, France, grew up in a music lover family, who taught him his first guitar chords, through Italian and French chanson and Jazz. He started to learn about the gypsy jazz universe, its origins and heritage, and soon started to learn strong basics and fundamentals of the gypsy jazz guitar rhythm technique called Pompe, to be able to take part in jam session and as well to sing along some American and French jazz standards.

In 2007Vince went to China, where he collaborated with many musician of the Beijing music scene, then joined the band Mademoiselle et son Orchestre to bring with Selmer style guitar a new gypsy jazz energy and flavor to the French chanson repertoire. In 2010, Vince founded the Hot Club of Beijing.

Douglas Martin - Guitar

American guitarist Doug Martin started studying music at age 12. For the first few years of playing he studied rock and blues guitar, then he learned classical guitar.In 2006 Doug began to seriously study gypsy jazz, also made masterclasses with gypsy jazz guitarist master Paul Mehling.

Doug has played all over the world and also got the opportunity to meet many of the world’s top guitarists including Tommy Emmanuel, Richard Thompson, Lollo Meier, Hank Marvin, and Larry Carlton and more.

Claude Azizaj - Drums

Claude Azizaj is a professional drummer, percussionist and music professor.Graduated in modern music at Philippos Nakas College of Music in Athens (2003) and in classical percussion at the National Conservatory of Athens (2009) with a great performance and honorary mentions. In 2004 he received a scholarship from Berklee College of Music. He has taken master classes from masters such as Jimmy Cobb, Peter Erskine, Yoron Israel and Ralph Peterson.

Pikar Rozi - Double Bass

From west of China – Xinjiang, Pikar began his career as a bassist at the age of 17. Arrived Beijing in2002 and took part in the local music scene as a solid bass player, and joined the famous Xingjiang rock bandAskar &Grey Wolf, and toured all around China and worldwide.

Pikar fell into Jazz and Gypsy Jazz in 2009 and then he decided to learn double bass. In 2010 he joined the newly founded Hot Club of Beijing and fully dedicated himself on the traditional basics of swing music. Now Pikar is one of the best double bass player in China for Gypsy Jazz; he mixed solid jazz fundamentals and a full range of excellent rhythm skills he got from Xinjiang roots, from oriental and middle-east to Latin grooves.

Toni Moretso - Clarinet

Toni Moretso has been studying classical clarinet at the music school in Paris since the age of eight. From 2003 to 2007, he played in numerous jazz bands in Paris, and established jazz music's Pave jazz non-governmental organization through concerts, teaching and cross-art performances. He was one of the founding members of the Beijing hot club and became an important member of the band. He has also been working with the music project, such as Soul Tang, or Song Yuzhe live film concert, held by Beijing Goethe institute and the momma art center.