In 2002 Tommy Davy began his journey to study the world of Gypsy music. His introduction was initially through the music of Django Reinhardt and through his teachers he discovered more traditional forms of Gypsy music from other cultures such as Serbia, Romania, Hungary, and Russia. His fieldwork has traced the trail of Romani/Gypsy music from its roots in India, to its arrival in the Balkans and across Eastern Europe. Tommy hopes to share his passion for these traditions with the English-speaking world and illuminate great artistry that has affected much of the way music has been written and performed for at least 1000 years.

In this masterclass, Tommy will musically trace the Romani trail from its roots in Rajasthan across the Middle East and into Europe. We will delve deeply into the Gypsy musician culture, practices, and folklore associated with the many layers of this secret world. We will also discuss how a guitar culture was born in Western Europe and how Django Reinhardt would revolutionize music with his alchemy of Gypsy sensibility and popular Jazz music of the era. The class will show selected recordings, videos, and a viewing of photographs collected on Tommy’s travels.