Behind the Music

Carington Swing was formed around a simple idea: great music should feel as good to listen to and as it does to play. 

Led by guitarist Christophe Carington, the Bay Area ensemble is grounded in the musical language pioneered by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli: acoustic instrumentation, propulsive rhythm, melodic improvisation, and an ever-present sense of swing. Yet for the band, tradition is not a set of boundaries but a foundation from which the music can be explored.

At the heart of Carington Swing is improvisation. No two performances unfold exactly the same way. A lyrical ballad can give way to fiery virtuosity; the driving pulse of jazz manouche can sway into the grooves of Latin rhythms, classical melodies, Eastern European harmony, or something altogether unexpected. Original compositions sit naturally alongside the songs that first defined the genre, reflecting a band equally interested in where the music comes from and where it can go.

That openness extends well beyond jazz itself. Carington Swing is unafraid to draw inspiration from outside the traditional repertoire, reimagining unexpected material through the band's own rhythmic and improvisational vocabulary.
 
Their genre-bending approach has become a defining part of appearances at the Music and Gaming Festival, where the ensemble has become a recurring presence through its reinterpretations of classic video game music. Familiar themes are transformed through Christophe Carington’s original arrangements, demonstrating how naturally the language of jazz can converse with music from entirely different worlds.

Christophe carries his love of this music to the stage, where technical command is never separated from spontaneity, warmth, and connection. He’s lived in Paris, the birthplace of the style, and has performed jazz manouche around the world. He has toured the United States with the Hot Club of San Francisco and continues to perform regularly with its founder, guitarist Paul Mehling, one of the central figures in the development of the American Gypsy Jazz scene.

Carington Swing doesn't just revisit the sound of jazz manouche. They celebrate the freedom, community, and joy that have kept this music alive for generations.