Hono Winterstein was born on February 27th 1962 in Forbach/France.As common with many Sinti he learned to play the guitar young at age. Naturally influenced by Django Reinhardt and his music, but still also interested in other musicstyles like Rock - he like to listen to guitarrists like Jimmy Hendrix or Johnny Winter etc.
His first appereance on the musicscene is in 1978 together with the Gino Reinhardt Trio featuring Dorado Schmitt. Since then he was working with Dorado, Samson Schmitt, Patrick Saussois, Tchavolo Schmitt and many others, recording many albums.
In 2001 he gets invited by Bireli Lagrène for his new "Gipsy Project".
Meanwhile he is playing with Bireli Lagrène on all kinds of big Festivals in France (Olympia, Zénith, etc...) as well as worldwide in the U.S.A, Japan.
Hono played on 5 CDs of the Gipsy Project and the Gipsy Trios and an Album with Sara Lazarus as well as 3 DVD Productions for the Dreyfus Jazz Label.
Hono Winterstein is a "King of Rhythm-playing" without any impeachement, a Guitarrist that swings "La Pompe" like a Métronome with incredible speed. Meanwhile he played with many great guitar-players like:
Bireli Lagrene, Dorado Schmitt, Samson Schmitt, Thomas Dutronc, Henri Salvador, Florine Nicolescu, Marcel Loeffler, Didier Lockwood, Martin Weiss, Martin Taylor, Sanseverino, Andre Cecarelli, Angelo Debarre, Stochelo Rosenberg, Sacha Distel, Ludovic Beyer ...the List is long.
His impressive physical presence and physis as well as a great charakter with a great sense of humor as well as a big heart is making him a great talent and a wanted musician.
Back to Jazzmanouche-Masters
Share this article:
