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Lewes Guitar Festival
- Lollo Meier
Django Reinhardt fans will be delighted that Lollo Meier is
headlining on the opening evening of the Lewes Guitar Festival,
which opens today. Meier is one of a few great gypsy jazz
musicians on the international circuit. He is a Dutch gypsy
who was raised on gypsy jazz and is widely regarded as one
of the most lyrical guitarists in the European Manouche style.
He told Viva Lewes “It is very exciting for me to play
in Lewes, the city of the guitar builders… I play in
the style of Django Reinhardt and it is very good to know
that your festival ‘wants’ to show gypsy jazz
music.”
The Festival will serve up a diverse and eclectic mix of guitarists
in its programme of exhibitions, workshops, master classes
and concerts. “We have an exciting mix of new stuff
this year which can’t be seen anywhere else,”
says Director Laurence Hill. “We have focussed on originality
and quality and on appealing to as wide a range of people
as possible.” When asked about the most popular performers
in terms of ticket sales so far, he notes that “people
have been going mad about Loudon Wainwright III and Hayseed
Dixie: having these artists in Lewes is pretty special for
us.” Leading a new generation of contemporary steel-string
players, acoustic guitarist Clive Carroll will be holding
a steel string fingerstyle workshop at the Subud Centre, and
Monday also heralds the opening of the Exhibition of Guitars
- all made by the Lewes Guitar Makers - at the Star Gallery.
KA
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