Guitarist/Composer, Jonathan Freilich has been an active part of the New Orleans music scene since his arrival there in 1989.
Almost immediately, he found himself as sideman for notable locals such as Kermit Ruffins, Michael Ward and The Reward, and Sun Ra trumpeter, Michael Ray. In 1992 he co-founded the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars(NOKAS), a pioneering klezmer ensemble that infused that music with the vibrancy and energy of the funk, jazz and brass music of New Orleans. To date he has had opportunity to play with most of New Orleans' greatest musicians from across all genres.
He has appeared at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 24 times as well as headlining the Berlin Jazz Festival with NOKAS. He has appeared at numerous other festivals inside and outside the country including Bonnaroo, the Ann Arbor Jazz Festival, The American Folklife festival at the Washington Monument, collaborations with poet, Andrei Codrescu at the Holocaust museum in NYC and many others. Other notable work includes appearances with Sam Rivers, Burton Greene, Marshall Allen, The Wild Magnolias and backing songwriters such as Robbie Robertson. He has done arrangements for a wide range of recordings from, Peter Stampfel to Hal Willner’s presentation of U@ doing music of T-Rex.
He is featured on over 21 recordings ranging from Klezmer to Afro-Cuban and avant-garde orchestra music. Recently he put out two CD’s of a large orchestra playing his original compositions, a small group, and played on Marianne Faithfull’s latest release. Many of these recordings are either Big Easy or Offbeat entertainment award winners across a number of categories. He also has music featured in films and TV shows (Andy Richter conquers the Universe, The Dukes of Hazzard(Warner Home Video) as well as commercials for companies such as Southwest Airlines and Mercedes.
The Historic Swoop-Duggins House, located in a historic three-story, three-bay, brick house with an attached two-story service wing located in New Orlean’s CBD, offers a private, second floor exclusively for events complete with private entry. For larger events, or guests wishing for a progressive event experience, you may opt to also include the courtyard as well as the entire first floor, Swoop’s dining room and bar, as part of your event.
The Historic Swoop-Duggins House’s event space can be privately accessed by both its own beautiful wooden staircase as well as the courtyard, both leading to the immaculately decorated rooms on the second floor. Rich colors and ornate fabrics complement the artwork that adorns the walls as well as the multiple fireplaces. The “gallery” (a balcony spanning the depth of an entire sidewalk and the full length of the building) allows guests to experience the sites and sounds of New Orleans during your event.
The space at The Historic Swoop-Duggins House provides your guests with a unique event experience in that not only do you have access to the second floor during your event, you have the option to utilize the courtyard as part of your event.