The award winning Ameranouche (pronounced uh-Mare-uh-noosh) plays a passionate style of music they call “Gypsy Flamenco Swing.” They are veterans of the Newport Jazz Festival, Djangofest Northwest, Muzikfest Bethlehem, PA and the National Press Club. The name is derived from two words: American and Manouche, the gypsy tribe of guitarist Django Reinhardt. The rip-roaring ensemble is a super force of hot acoustic Gypsy inspired music mixing Flamenco, Bebop and Jazz swing influences. Played on traditional French jazz guitars, the music is rhythmic, vigorous, and elegant. Whether they’re playing a musette waltz from 1930 or an Andalusian inspired original tune, Ameranouche’s Gypsy Flamenco Swing style is a fresh and highly enjoyable new sound for the 21st century.
Richard “Shepp” Sheppard, Guitar, comes from southern New Jersey. He attended the Berklee School of Music, studied guitar and composition with Pat Martino in Philadelphia, studied composition and aesthetics with Dr. Frank Haas in Vineland, NJ and studied guitar with Attilla Zoller in Southern Vermont. He has taught guitar, composition, and music theory as a faculty member of Bennington College (Bennington, Vermont) and Pittsfield Community Music School (Pittsfield, Massachusetts). He has performed and done shows with many different artists. Among these are John Jorgenson, Ritary Ensemble, Rick Danko, Taj Mahal, Hot Tuna, and Vassar Clements, to name just a few.
A versatile bassist, Michael K. Harrist finds work in various musical traditions. He has toured throughout the U.S. and Europe with various artists including new music ensemble Capillary Action and Ross Daly and Kelly Thoma of Crete. Mike is a respected member of the Boston music community and plays regionally with Orkestra Marhaba and jazz great Joe Hunt, among others. He composes and writes songs for the Çeşni Trio, Harrist Family Band and Sol & Kiel. Mike draws heavily from his background in Jazz improvisation and his studies of Hindustani music, Ottoman Art Music and the Western Classical tradition.
Julian Loida is a percussionist, multimedia artist, and curator exploring repertoire spanning Western Classical Music, to Cuban Bata drumming, to Jazz and R&B. Julian grew up in St. Louis with his rock band Project 324 along with the St. Louis Youth Orchestra. Since then he has gone on to perform with Alarm Will Sound, the Callithumpian Consort, and the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. He has attended some of the country’s most prestigious music festivals such as Spoleto Music Festival USA, the National Orchestral Institute, the Chautauqua Music Festival, and Round Top Music Festival.
https://ameranouche.com/