440 expands the gypsy jazz tradition of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli with swinging sounds of the 1930s and 40s. Their snappy, hot jazz will make you tapping your feet and dancing in no time! 

440 has been actively performing in New England area since 2013. They appeared in numerous concert series and festivals including Newtonville Jazz Festival, Mandorla Music Summer Concert Series at Eustis Estate, 19 Carter Summer Concert Series, Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Brookline Village Fair, and Dot Jazz Series, as well as coffehouse performances at Homegrown Coffeehouse and New Revival Coffeehouse. They have released two albums, "Why Why" in 2017 and "Yo-ki Swing" in 2019.

Tomoko Iwamoto, a leader/violin, graduate of Berklee College of Music, has been in Boston jazz scene for more than 30 years. Being a "jazzy" violinist with a strong classical background, she expanded her repertoire in jazz, rock, pop to world music, toured with Hypnotic Clambake, while studying Jazz Composition and Arranging at Berklee College of Music. Tomoko appears as a guest with Women In World Jazz, and performs with a legendary clarinetist, Billy Novick in swing jazz trio "Jazz Tapestry". She also collaborates with Jim Kweskin, the founder of the legendary 1960s Jim Kweskin Jug Band. On her European tour in 2024, she performed at Django Festival Portugal in Lisbon and joined with Rumbo Sur in Madrid, Spain. In Japan, she performed a gypsy jazz trio in her hometown, Osaka.

John Clark, clarinet, is the founder of the Wolverine Jazz Band and has been a fixture on the New England Jazz scene for many years. He has played professionally in the Boston area with numerous traditional jazz and big bands, including the High Society Dance Orchestra, Dan Gabel's Abeltones, Commonwealth Jazz, the New Black Eagle Jazz Band, and the Paramount Jazz Band of Boston. Clark also regularly appears with Dave Whitney and His Orchestra, the Swing Legacy, and the Mood Elevators, among others. John is an acknowledged authority on the history of jazz and has recorded extensively. He also holds a PhD. in Musicology and has published books and articles on the foundations of Early Jazz.

Jack Soref, guitar, graduate of Berklee College of Music, is a mainstay of Django Festivals Django in June and the Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest, where he has performed as recently as 2023. The track "Dr. Soref" from Jack's album of original compositions, Rain on the Terrace, has been featured on the compilation album Django Festival 14 released by legendary record label Hot Club Records. Jack is the 2023 recipient of the Henry Mac Fund award. Throughout his career Jack has performed as an accompanist for Jazz Manouche luminaries like Joscho Stephan, Tim Kliphius, Gonzalo Bergara, Jason Anick, Olli Soikkeli, Adrien Moignard, Ben Powell, Aurélien Bouly, Henry Acker, Samuel Farthing, Max O'Rourke and Titi Bamberger.

Gregory Toro, bass, was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He fell in love with music and rhythm as a child, and at the age of ten joined a neighborhood steel band that played calypso and church music on weekends. He later took up guitar and piano, but found his true calling as a bass player when he was sixteen years old. Greg studied electric and upright bass and jazz composition at Berklee College of Music, where he had the opportunity to collaborate with musicians from many different countries and cultures. He has gone on to travel the world with jazz and rock groups, and continues to perform nightly in a wide variety of styles.

$17 advance | $22 day-of

*fees not included

"Although New Hampshire isn’t the most obvious home for a group so devoted to the culture of The Big Easy, the Soggy Po’ Boys seem genuine in their ambition to spread the word about jazz New Orleans style, and they’re creating an accessible and fun way into this world."

-London Jazz News                            

The Soggy Po Boys, native to New England, have quickly become an institution. They are spreading the good news of New Orleans music across the northeast and beyond, playing at concert halls and street corners; music festivals and burlesque festivals; bars and libraries; wherever the party requires. Part of the beauty of New Orleans music is that it's celebrated and appreciated wherever it goes, from the street to the theater.

The Po Boys formed in 2012 to shake the walls of a local club on a Fat Tuesday but have honed their sound and become more than a Mardi Gras centerpiece. Exploring the vast musical traditions of New Orleans and expanding their repertoire to look beyond NOLA jazz, the band includes traditional Caribbean tunes (it’s been said that New Orleans is the northernmost city in the Caribbean), as well as Meters funk, soul, and brass band / street beat music. “...These guys have done their homework, worked it out on the bandstand and put in the hours in the studio. It all adds up to a party you can bring with you when you want to treat your friends to a real good time.” -Ben Schenck of New Orleans’ Panorama Jazz Band”.

There are a myriad of traditions that flow into New Orleans culture just as there are tributaries that feed the Mississippi, and the Po Boys are eager to explore what makes the music of New Orleans so damn special. You’ll hear the heavy influence of the New Orleans sound across the band and in the stories told by their original tunes. Despite the scope of its sound, the outfit is only seven people, and thrives on the interplay and group dynamics that bring this music to life.

The Soggy Po Boys are:

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Stu Dias- Vocals / Guitar

Eric Klaxton- Clarinet/Sop. Sax

Josh Gagnon - Trombone

Nick Mainella- Tenor Sax

Mike Effenberger- Piano

Brian Waterhouse- Drums

Scott Kiefner- Bass

$17 adv | $22 day-of

This will be a limited seating event. Seats will be and can be made available. Dancing is encouraged.