About Us

A Little Words About Us

Boston Manouche Jazz

We are West of Samois…Samois-sur-Seine being the tranquil town southeast of Paris where legendary musician Django Reinhardt spent much of his time; and a place which still today represents the spiritual home of “Gypsy Jazz”. We think it’s important to address the fact that it’s generally accepted these days that “gypsy” is generally considered a pejorative term to refer to the Roma culture of Europe.

However, we feel it’s important to note that, in a musical context, the majority of accomplished Romani (Sinti, specifically) musicians in this unique style of jazz/swing self-describe their music as “Gypsy” or “Manouche” jazz, without negative connotation. This is an important and interesting conversation that certainly is worthy of digging into over time.

In that meantime – we are two guitarists and one saxophone player who are head over heels in love with this joyful, swinging, energetic style of music where “east meets west”. And so, we are “West of Samois” – and hope you join us in celebrating life with this truly joyful music!

Josh Morton

Guitar

Josh cut his guitar teeth on Nirvana, 90’s grunge, and high school jazz band. In addition to being the lead guitarist for Moose Juice, Josh’s passion for the sounds of Django Reinhardt brought him to form his own Manouche Jazz band.

Bill Preservati

Guitar

Bill has over 20 years of playing experience in a variety of musical styles from around the world

Larry Gelberg

Saxophones

In the early 1980s, Larry briefly shaped the course of human civilization by programming video games at Parker Brothers. Concluding that humanity was essentially fine, he picked up a C Melody saxophone — an instrument discontinued in the 1930s for reasons that remain contested — and hasn’t put it down since. He has performed disco with Booty Vortex, “serious” jazz with Allan Hirt, and these days he channels the ghost of Django’s horn players with West of Samois and various North Shore big bands. He is the reason the Cantina Band is on the setlist.

Bennett Kealey

Bass

The details are long relegated to the lore of history. But, legend has it that Bennett was raised among the Shaolin jazz monks among the foggy, craggy peaks of Mount Song. According to myth, Bennett was born with instrument in hand. Exactly which instrument is lost to the sands of time, but what is known to this day is that, no matter which instrument in his hands, Bennett will coax from it the most ethereal, blissful sounds that only the best trained Shaolin musicians can create.

View our Set Lists and Songs