David Bandrowski is a New Orleans musician, guitarist and tenor banjo player who has been immersed in the city's music and culture since moving to New Orleans at the age of five. Over the course of more than three decades, he has performed and recorded in a wide range of musical settings, with the tenor banjo and guitar at the center of his work.

Bandrowski's music is rooted in the traditional jazz of New Orleans, but his interests have always extended well beyond the traditional repertoire. He leads an ensemble built around tenor banjo, three horns, upright bass and drums, performing traditional New Orleans jazz alongside music drawn from New Orleans R&B, South America and the Caribbean. The tenor banjo is a defining part of his sound, and much of his work explores the versatility of the instrument beyond its traditional role in jazz.

Bandrowski has released two albums under his name, French Onion Superman and Serpentine. French Onion Superman introduced his approach of combining a traditional New Orleans jazz ensemble with a diverse repertoire that included traditional jazz, blues, reggae, Colombian cumbia and other musical influences. His 2025 album, Serpentine, continued that exploration, placing the tenor banjo in the context of New Orleans R&B and other contemporary influences.

Bandrowski has performed and recorded with a wide variety of New Orleans musicians and ensembles, including Dr. John, Donald Harrison, Glen David Andrews, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and others.

He led his band David Bandrowski & the Rhumba Defense at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2025.

Beyond performing, Bandrowski is a Deering Banjo Artist and was the host of Deering Live, a popular interview series featuring banjo players and other figures from the banjo community. He has also taught banjo workshops at festivals and schools and has been involved in promoting and expanding the role of the banjo in contemporary music.

For Bandrowski, the tenor banjo is both a connection to the musical tradition he grew up around and a way to explore where that tradition can go next.

Booking

banjoski@gmail.com