Musician lures jazz guitarist

By George Lang

Published: October 8, 2008

Six shows a day for two weeks — that was Kyle Dillingham’s life during the Oklahoma State Fair, when he led Horseshoe Road through a punishing series of three sets a day and alternated those gigs with solo fiddle gigs just across the midway.

A rendition of the Russian gypsy song "Ochi Chyornye” notwithstanding, fairgoers could be forgiven for thinking that Dillingham is strictly a Western swing and bluegrass player. But this Thursday, people who have followed Dillingham for years or those who just discovered him at the fair can see and hear a new facet of his eclectic ability.

Dillingham will serve as host of "A Night of Gypsy Jazz” on Thursday with guitarists Stephane Wrembel and Ila Cantor. Fans of early 20th century jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt will find much to love during this intimate three-hour set.

"He’s a French guitarist, he lives just outside New York City and plays the Django style — an incredible musician — and plays a lot in the city,” Dillingham said of Wrembel.

"He was actually the organizer of Djangofest New York 2005, and I was playing with a gypsy jazz group out of Chicago at the festival, met Stephane, and we clicked. So, over the last couple of years, I’ve made two or three trips to the city to play shows with him and have been trying to get him to Oklahoma, and so this is it; this is the moment I’ve been dreaming of for three years.”

Wrembel’s song "Big Brother” is featured in Woody Allen’s recent film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”

"We’ll play as a gypsy jazz trio — two guitars and a violin — and we’re doing a lot of the Django style music,” Dillingham said.

The 29-year-old violinist constantly pushes himself. The Monday after the fair, Dillingham boarded a plane for France, where he presented Edmond composer Callen Clarke’s symphonic piece "Normandie” as part of his ambassadorial work for The University of Central Oklahoma’s Centre for Global Competency.

But the rigorous schedule caught up with him; he got sick just as he arrived. He recovered in time for his concert, only to fall prey again afterward. "It was worth the relapse,” he said.

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