Popy Basily
Popy Basily is a Dutch Gypsy jazz (jazz manouche) guitarist and above all the leading musicians from the renowned Basily Gipsy Band. He comes from a Sinti family with a musical tradition spanning at least five generations and began playing guitar at the age of 11.
Musical style
Basily’s playing is rooted in the tradition of Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club de France, but his music extends beyond classic Gypsy jazz. His compositions and performances also incorporate influences from:
- Balkan Gypsy music
- Spanish flamenco
- Blues
- Traditional Sinti music
His lead guitar style is known for:
- Fast, articulate picking
- Warm, lyrical phrasing
- Strong rhythmic drive
- Melodic improvisation with a distinctly European Gypsy jazz feel
Career highlights
Over the years, Popy Basily and the Basily Gipsy Band have performed extensively in the Netherlands and internationally, including appearances at:
- North Sea Jazz Festival
- Django Reinhardt Festival (Samois-sur-Seine, France)
- Birdland Jazz Club (New York)
- Copenhagen Jazz Festival
- Festivals in Indonesia, Japan, Norway, and elsewhere.
Among the highlights of his career are:
- Performing with legendary violinist Stéphane Grappelli
- Playing private events for The Rolling Stones and Jeff Beck.
The Basily Gipsy Band
The band typically features family members and close collaborators, with Popy as the lead guitarist. Their repertoire includes:
- Django Reinhardt classics
- Original compositions
- Traditional Gypsy music
- Jazz standards with a Gypsy jazz interpretation.
Composer
Besides performing, Popy Basily is also a composer. His original works have been recorded by the Basily family and are performed by other musicians as well. One example is “Antara,” which has been arranged by classical guitar ensembles.
If you’re interested from a guitarist’s perspective, Popy Basily is often regarded as one of the important Dutch representatives of Gypsy jazz, alongside players such as Stochelo Rosenberg and Paulus Schäfer. His playing tends to emphasize melodic expression and traditional Sinti phrasing over flashy virtuosity alone, making him highly respected within the European Gypsy jazz community.
