David Langlois was born in Paris, France, where he took up the drum set at
age fifteen. At nineteen, he was hired as a full time musician to play the
washboard and drum set. It was then that David invented his signature
washboard instrument (mixing his grandma’s pots and pans and his grandpa’s
tools) and polished his unique washboard technique, which immediately
attracted several avenues of professional work.
In 2003, after studying various percussive techniques in Africa, Asia and
Central America, David moved to New York city and has since collaborated
with Bette Midler, Paul McCartney, Les Paul, Bucky Pizzarelli, David Grisman,
Paquito D' Rivera, Angelo Debarre, Dorado Schmitt, Roger Kellaway, and
Stephane Wrembel, with whom he toured intensively with, both nationally and
internationally. You can hear David on Woody Allen’s recent movie score
composed by Stephane Wrembel “Rifkin’s Festival”.
In 2008, he started his own gypsy jazz band “The Hot Clubbers” alternating
French waltzes and Django Reinhardt’s classics…
The Hot Clubbers feature some of the best French classic songs with the
gypsy sound playing specific guitars and violin but also the Mississippi vibes
with harmonica virtuoso Miguel Weissman… the “Gypsyssippi” sound was
born!
David was offered a residency “David Langlois’ Gypsy Carte Blanche” at the
famous NYC club the Iridium after he first appeared jamming with Les Paul,
unfortunately on the master’s last show. :(
The sessions have been recorded, mixed and released as an album called
“David Langlois & The Hot Clubbers: Live at Iridium NYC”.
David also loves to sing in different languages, especially reggae music
carrying a message of peace, love and justice for all.
He grew up surrounded by the music of Bob Marley and early on, starting
considering him as a spiritual father and a strong role model, impressed by
the courage of risking one’s own life to keep singing and expose the world’s
injustices of oppression and segregation and exploitation of human beings.
So in 2010 he naturally creates his own reggae band called “The Brooklyners”
which since has played more than 300 shows all over NYC and beyond @
Atlantic Antics festival, BEAT festival, The Brooklyn Museum, The Brooklyn
Conservatory of Music, Capitol Theater, Fairfield Theater, The Ardmore Music
Hall, etc…
The uniqueness, originality and creativity of David's work has garnered media
attention:
In July 2005, the New York Time said “ A washboard interlude by
David Langlois lent a whimsical complement to the steady rhythm section.”
about the NY Django Festival at the prestigious Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully
Hall.
In November 2013, he was featured in the world’s biggest drum magazine:
Modern Drummer Magazine's with a three page article and videos.
In January 2014, his work was covered in the Wall Street Journal Culture in an
article untitled “Musician Takes The Kitchen Sink On Tour”
David performs regularly in NYC venues including Lincoln Center, Birdland,
Iridium, Joe's Pub, Brooklyn Bowl, etc…
His recording work includes 19 Albums, 3 Concert DVDs and 6 Movies.