Mark O’Connor, photo by Jim McGuire

There have been many seminal groups in jazz history, whether it be Duke Ellington’s orchestra, Art Blakey’s long running Jazz Messengers, or the classic groups of Miles Davis or John Coltrane. Each of these — plus a host of others — is responsible for laying a unique brick in the pantheon of American jazz. Europe has a younger but equally vital jazz tradition, and one group is largely responsible for establishing European jazz on the international scene. The Quintette du Hot Club de France, formed in the 1930s by virtuoso guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli, has an influence that extends to this day.

“There’s something about the acoustic instrument itself that is timeless,” said violinist Mark O’Connor, in a recent interview with DCist. “[Reinhardt and Grappelli] both had a profound affect on their instruments. That’s probably one of the reasons the music stays around.”

Tonight, O’Connor will lead his band, Hot Swing, at the Kennedy Center in tribute to these two great musicians and their groundbreaking music. Guitarist Dorado Schmitt, one of the foremost authorities on Reinhardt’s music, will also lead a group on the double bill, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of Reinhardt’s birth.