Mayo Hubert - Caravan de Santino (CD)

French gypsy jazz guitarist Mayo Hubert is probably best known as the regular accompanist of Tchavolo Schmitt. What is less known, however, is that he is also a formidable soloist. Following on his 2004 album Swing Mayo, Hubert is back with a Caravan de Santino, an album full of red-hot playing and the very best of Manouche style. Hubert is joined by Francko Mehrstein on guitar, Gino Roman on bass and Laurent Maur on harmonica, an instrument not often heard in Gypsy jazz. This unusual line-up gives Mayo Hubert the opportunity to show not only his virtuoso technique but also the sureness of his melodic inspiration, with eleven original compositions which reach a resounding climax in the form of a little-known Django Reinhardt title on which he duets with his 13 year-old son.