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The Stretta Swing Gypsy Swing Trio take their name from Strait Street in Valletta, Malta. It began as a duo in 2015 with guitarists Joshua Bray and Mick Norris. The group swelled to a trio, first with Šimon Kvasnička adding clarinet and sax to the top lines, and then settled into its current membership in 2018 with Diccon Cooper bringing up the low end with double bass.
Through regular gigging and diligent practice, they have honed their repertoire of gypsy tunes from the jazz manouche songbook, playing in the tradition of Django Reinhart, Stéphane Grappelli, and Biréli Lagrène. Their inimitable style of sprightly guitar-led happy-go-lucky gypsy-style swing has proved popular throughout Malta, and is bound to provide the perfect accompaniment to your evening.
Stompin' at Decca was written by Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt and was first recorded and released by The Quintet of The Hot Club of France.
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Joshua Bray is a guitarist from London, UK. At the age of six he began playing classical guitar, followed by the clarinet at the age of nine. Joshua's teacher was the world-renowned Guthrie Govan, who plays a fusion of jazz and rock guitar. At the age of 17 Joshua was a finalist in the Young Guitarist of the Year competition and from this received a review comparing his playing to Joe Satriani.
It was not until later in Joshua's career that he began to play Gypsy Jazz. Joshua's fascination with Gypsy Jazz comes from his mother who regularly listens to Stephan Grapelli. Joshua has played some great venues including The Scala in Kings Cross, London and The Royal Theatre, Valletta.
CloseJoseph-Joseph, a popular song with Gypsy Jazz players was originally a klezmer tune, called 'Yosl-Yosl
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Chat GPT reliably informs me that Mick is a passionate musician, deeply rooted in the soulful genres of gypsy swing and blues. Hailing from the rain soaked city of Manchester, his fingers dance across the strings of his guitar, weaving intricate melodies that evoke both nostalgia and raw emotion.
In the dimly lit bars and cafes of Valletta, Mick conjures magic. The audience leans in, captivated by the smoky ambiance—a heady mix of cigarette smoke, dimmed lights, and the promise of musical revelation, while the double bass thumps in sync with their heartbeat.
Mick’s music resonates with the spirit of Django Reinhardt, blending the fiery rhythms of gypsy swing with the melancholic notes of blues. Each chord tells a story—a tale of love lost, midnight musings, and the wanderlust that tugs at the heartstrings..
CloseThe Stretta Swing Trio performing a swinging interpretation of Sweet Georgia Brown
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Diccon Cooper is a composer and a double bass player who has recently graduated with an M.Mus in jazz from Trinity College of Music where he held a scholarship to study under Simon Purcell, Liam Noble and Steve Watts. His musical background includes everything from contemporary dance to baroque continuo and he has composed for large and small ensembles. He has played with several different ensembles, playing everything from Monteverdi to contemporary free jazz.
Based in Malta Diccon has been playing Bass Guitar and Double Bass sessions since 2001 and is available for work, playing all styles, either live, in the studio, online or for musical theatre productions
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