STEPHANE WREMBEl: Beyond Virtuosity

Regattabar Cambridge, Massachusetts February 13, 2026

Story by JD Cohen Photography by JD Cohen and Joshua Touster

Every so often, you encounter an artist whose command of their instrument feels less like a skill and more like a private language unfolding in real time. In those moments, you are not simply listening—you are being invited inside a world that transcends performance. Seeing Stéphane Wrembel live is precisely that kind of experience. Rooted in the tradition of Django Reinhardt, Wrembel’s phrasing carries the structural clarity of classical training and the elasticity of jazz improvisation, shaped into something distinctly his own.

What elevates Wrembel’s playing beyond virtuosity is the charisma and unmistakable love for the music that he communicates so effortlessly. He does not perform as if delivering a set list; he plays as though sharing a secret he cannot wait to reveal. There is visible joy in the way he leans into a phrase, a quick smile when a melodic turn lands just right, a glance toward his fellow musicians that feels less like coordination and more like communion. His presence radiates warmth without ego—an invitation to appreciate rather than a display designed to impress.

Throughout the performance, it becomes very clear that Wrembel's aim is not merely to impress but to educate and connect with his audience. Each improvisation feels like an offering, an attempt to pass along something precious: a shared appreciation for a tradition, a deep reverence for melody and rhythm, and a love of the music that is both personal and communal. The audience senses it instinctively.

The room grows quiet not because the music softens, but because attention deepens. Applause swells not only in response to technical brilliance but in gratitude for having been included in something sincere, personal, beautiful, and fleeting.

That spirit defined the evening when Wrembel brought his Django New Orleans ensemble to the Regattabar in Cambridge Massachusetts on Friday, February 13th. The group featured Wrembel on guitar; Josh Kaye on rhythm guitar; Adrien Chevalier on violin; Steven Duffy on sousaphone/tuba; Nick Driscoll on tenor sax and clarinet; Joe Boga on trumpet; Scott Kettner on drums; and Sarah King on vocals. Across two expansive sets, the ensemble drew from both Django New Orleans and Django New Orleans II: Hors-Série, presenting an imaginative dialogue between early New Orleans jazz and the spirit of Django Reinhardt, alongside selections by French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg.

Django New Orleans made its debut in 2021 and on the acclaimed 2023 recording Django New Orleans released on Rembel’s own Water is Life Records. In 2025 the ensemble released a follow-up, Django New Orleans II: Hors-Série. Wremble and the band have been touring in support of the new album in addition to Wrembel's regular Sunday night residency at Barbes in Brooklyn and appearances in various settings as a solo artist and in various small and large group configurations.

Born in Paris in 1974, Wrembel began his musical path at an early age, eventually immersing himself in the guitar style of the legendary Django Reinhardt; however, his musical journey didn’t begin with the guitar—it began at the piano. Growing up in Fontainebleau, a French town deeply connected to cultural heritage and the arts, he started classical piano lessons at the age of four.

His early grounding in classical music provided Wrembel not just technical facility, but a deep understanding of harmony, structure, and expression that would infuse his later work. Wrembel didn’t pick up the guitar until he was sixteen. Wrembel was initially drawn to classic rock music, especially Pink Floyd.

His encounter with jazz—specifically the music of Django Reinhardt—would change the course of his life and set him on the path of immersion into t Gypsy jazz music, culture and tradition. While attending the American School of Modern Music in Paris, Wrembel first heard Reinhardt’s recordings at the annual Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois-sur-Seine. The music captivated him, and he became determined to understand not only the technique but the history and emotional essence of the Gypsy jazz tradition that Reinhardt pioneered

Unlike many musicians who pursue a style technically, Wrembel went straight to the cultural source of Reinhardt’s music—the Sinti community. He spendt significant time with camps and gatherings where he learned directly from master guitarists. Through this immersion, Wrembel absorbed the rhythmic feel, the phrasing, and the spirit of the tradition.

Wrembel often reflects that music is not merely technical proficiency but a form of communication rooted in cultural ethos. For the Gypsy musicians he studied with, music is a way of life—a deeply expressive language connecting people and tradition

After his early explorations in France, Wrembel pursued formal musical education in the United States. Awarded a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Eventually he relocated to New York City in 2003, situating himself at the heart of a vibrant and diverse music scene. The city has provided fertile ground for collaboration, performance, and innovation, and it is here that Wrembel’s career truly began to flourish.

In 2003, Wrembel founded the Django à Gogo Music Festival and Guitar Camp, an annual event celebrating the culture and music of Django Reinhardt. The festival brings together musicians steeped in the tradition, as well as those pushing its boundaries through performance and collaboration.

From 2017 through 2021, Wrembel released multiple volumes under the title The Django Experiment. These albums blend Wrembel’s compositions with reinterpretations of Reinhardt and other jazz composers.

In 2019, Wrembel released Django L’Impressionniste, a groundbreaking project featuring Wrembel’s transcriptions of 17 rarely heard solo guitar preludes composed by Django Reinhardt between 1937 and 1950. These pieces, which Wrembel spent years meticulously transcribing, showcase his devotion to Reinhardt’s legacy as well as his own scholarly and artistic dedication

Wrembel’s music has reached global audiences through film soundtracks, most notably in collaborations with director Woody Allen. His compositions “Big Brother” appeared in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), introducing his music to international film audiences. “Bistro Fada”, from his album Origins, became the theme song for Allen’s Midnight in Paris (2011) and was included on the film’s Grammy-winning soundtrack.

Wrembel also composed the original score for Allen’s Rifkin’s Festival (2020), further showcasing his versatility as a composer beyond concert stages and albums.

Beyond recordings and film, Stéphane Wrembel’s influence as a live performer and educator has been profound. He has performed at prestigious venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Town Hall, and international jazz festivals, reaching audiences around the world.

Friday night at the Regattabar Wrembel and his ensemble mesmerized the audience with playing that felt both scholarly and spontaneous. Highlights included intricate guitar runs woven seamlessly into richly textured ensemble passages that evoked a living history—music born in another era yet vividly alive. Between songs Wrembel offered brief stories and historical context, deepening the audience’s engagement and appreciation of the music .

Late in the set, Wrembel set aside his guitar to sing two Gainsbourg compositions, speaking affectionately of his fellow French artist. Sarah King’s vocals—joyous, playful, at times smoldering—evoked the spirit of 1920s–40s jazz while maintaining contemporary vitality. Adrien Chevalier’s violin work shimmered with elegance, and Scott Kettner’s drumming provided propulsion without intrusion, anchoring the ensemble’s dynamic range.

The performance reaffirmed that Wrembel’s contribution extends well beyond virtuosity. His work represents an ongoing dialogue across time and geography, connecting Reinhardt’s legacy to contemporary artistry with an infectious joy and vitality.

From a classically trained child in Fontainebleau to an internationally acclaimed guitarist, composer, and educator, Stéphane Wrembel exemplifies how mastery of tradition can coexist with creative expansion, making old music come alive once again with beautiful energy and vitality. His music reminds us that at its core, it is a universal language—one to be explored with curiosity, humility, and an open heart.