BIO
Guitarist | Composer | Educator
Jimmy Grant grew up in a Northern California household rich with musical influences. During his travels across the country with his dad’s bluegrass band, he discovered the music of Django Reinhardt. Although his early musical landscape was shaped by Russian folk, bluegrass, Celtic, and classical music, he was irresistibly drawn to the vibrant sounds of Django Reinhardt from a young age.
Under the guidance of renowned guitarists Jim Nichols and Howard Alden, Jimmy honed his craft, blending influences from Bach, Benny Goodman, and Joe Pass into his unique style. His artistry has led him to perform alongside acclaimed musicians such as David Grisman, Gonzalo Bergara, Ludovic Beier, Andreas Oberg, Tim Kliphuis, Paulus Schafer, Robin Nolan, Trio Dinicu, Rhythm Future Quartet, and the Hot Club of San Francisco. His performances have graced prestigious stages including Djangofest Northwest, The Savannah Music Festival, Nor Cal Jazz Festival, and The New York Hot Jazz Festival, as well as various venues throughout Europe.
As a passionate educator, Jimmy has taught at colleges across the United States and has been a faculty member at the Django in June Festival in Massachusetts, Grappelli-Django Camp in Holland, and currently hosts his own "Camp Django" in Ashland, OR. He shares his insights into gypsy jazz through contributions to "Gypsy Jazz Secrets Magazine." Jimmy's creative endeavors also include recording two albums under his own name, participating in several jazz and rock albums, and having his music featured in films and television. Notably, his original composition "Insomnia" was a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition in the jazz category.