Experience the magic of the Palm Springs Gypsy Jazz Festival, a vibrant celebration of the rich musical heritage and captivating rhythms of Gypsy Jazz, inspired by the legendary Django Reinhardt. Set against the stunning backdrop of Palm Springs, this festival brings together world-class musicians and passionate fans for an unforgettable weekend of live performances, workshops, and jam sessions. The lineup features guitarist Alfonso Ponticelli and vocalist Nicole Robertson—more artists will be announced soon, stay tuned!
Alfonso Ponticelli, a virtuoso guitarist deeply rooted in the traditions of Gypsy jazz, has carved a distinct niche in the world of music. Born in Chicago, Ponticelli grew up listening to the Italian music from his musical family and playing folk music, blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and classical guitar. The swinging rhythms and intricate melodies of Django Reinhardt’s jazz compelled him to travel to the Gypsy Jazz fest in France where he learned from master guitarists as well as having the honor to camp next to Babik, the son of Django Reinhardt. He later began his studies in Flamenco guitar, traveling to Spain to learn from the Flamenco Masters including Manolo Sanlucar and seeing greats like Tomatito and Paco DeLucia.
Ponticelli’s career spans decades of performing and recording, during which he has become a pivotal figure in the resurgence of Gypsy jazz in the United States. He founded the group Alfonso Ponticelli & Swing Gitan in 2001, which continues to enchant audiences with its dynamic blend of roots guitar styles, traditional Gypsy jazz, and Flamenco. Alfonso has developed his own inimitable style performing solo guitar and with his group featuring a world-class lineup of musicians on Latin percussion, upright bass and soloists featured on violin, vocals or sax.
Over the years, Alfonso has performed at many festivals on the same bill with other contemporary Gypsy-jazz players from around the world, including Bireli Lagrène, Stochelo Rosenberg, Moreno, Angelo DeBarre Titi Bamburger, Paquito Lorier, Al Dimeola, Paulus Schäfer, and more. Ponticelli holds a residency at the famed Green Mill jazz club for 20 years performing four hour concerts every Wednesday night. Alfonso Ponticelli has presented the annual Chicago Gypsy jazz festival for 22 years bringing musicians from America and Europe to perform in the Chicagoland area.
Ponticelli has been a featured artist at prestigious festivals across the globe including the Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois, France, Djangofest Northwest, Django à Gogo in New York and Los Angeles, as well as Gypsy Jazz fests in, Denver, and extensively throughout the Midwest.
Also a recording artist and sound engineer Ponticelli has self-produced five commercialy available albums, the latest one released 2023, a Simple Prayer. A documentary on Alfonso Ponticelli was produced in 2008, Gypsy Jazz Odyssey. He resides in the Chicagoland area with his wife two children, and with Champ, the dancing dog.
“Swing Gitan gravitates around guitarist Ponticelli, who brings a distinctly contemporary rhythmic drive and tonal brilliance to classic gypsy jazz. In lead-guitar passages, Ponticelli proved as melodically inventive as he was technically adept. In rhythm-guitar work, he often pushed this music to the point of near-frenzy.”
Nicole Robertson (née Cardi) has performed extensively with Alfonso Ponticelli & Swing Gitan at various Chicagoland venues including the legendary Green Mill Jazz Club and Pop’s for Champagne. She was also a featured vocalist with Gypsy jazz band Gaucho at Djangofest SF and myriad venues across the San Francisco Bay Area.
From singing sultry Bossa Nova to belting jazz standards, vocalist Nicole Robertson seamlessly transitions between genres with her dynamic range. Nicole is a versatile artist with a lush musical background including Bossa Nova, MPB (Música Popular Brasileira), American jazz, Gypsy jazz, electronica, house music, pop, rock, commercials, film, and theatre scores. A multilingual vocalist, she sings in Brazilian Portuguese, French, Spanish, and English. Her powerful vocals, passion for music, and magnetic presence shine through every performance.
As a member of the Latin band Casolando, Nicole opened for David Byrne at the Riviera, Los Lobos at The Chill, Andrew Bird at Fitzgerald’s, Cubanismo at Park West, Moreno Veloso at Schubas, Barbarito Torres from the Buena Vista Social Club at the House of Blues, Tito Puente Jr. at The Cubby Bear Chicago, and El Vez at the Double Door. Casolando held a residency at the House of Blues and performed at numerous other venues including Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center in Chicago. Nicole performed and recorded with several Chicago-based Brazilian artists including Sergio Pires, Luis Ewerling, Luciano Antonio, and Geraldo de Oliveira. More recently, Nicole and Brazilian guitarist Gustavo Teixeira have played Bossa Nova gigs around the Los Angeles area including the Manhattan Country Club. Nicole’s commercial recordings include working with Steve Ford Music and Slang Music Group in Chicago and Wojahn Bros Music in Los Angeles.
Growing up, Nicole split her time between Chicago and Palm Springs. After many years of living in Los Angeles, she has returned to the Coachella Valley and now calls Palm Desert home. She lives with her husband, their two sons, the cutest chihuahua ever, and their two gorgeous cats.