Swing Caravan is a Northampton, MA based acoustic Gypsy Jazz group. The band plays tunes mainly from the brilliant Django Reinhardt's (Quintette of the Hot Club of France) repertoire of the 1930s-1950s. Swing Caravan also plays later tunes composed or adopted by later Gypsy Jazz greats, as well as a number of jazz standards and originals.
Lead guitarist and vocalist Matthew Ruby Shippee, rhythm guitarist Jack Brown, and a select group of local upright bassists form a solid improvising trio that is sometimes augmented by guest musicians-Dave Nelson, with his 'kitchen percussion' washboard setup, is a frequent collaborator, while other nights bring violin, accordion, or clarinet. The group is known for performing this hot jazz with the kind of spontaneous and sensitive playfulness that spawned the style.
Since 2005, they've played steadily in the area, including a showcase at the local Django in June festival and an ongoing biweekly gig at Mocha Maya's in Shelburne Falls.
