About us
Who are we?
The Swing States are five friends and musicians who met in 2020 at the University of Music in Weimar. Not only do they come from different parts of Europe and Germany, but they also follow different musical paths. Yet, as a band, they are united by their passion for Django Reinhardt, Paco de Lucía, Eric Clapton, Richard Galliano, and many other legends of Gypsy Jazz, Flamenco, and Blues. For more than five years, The Swing States have been performing on numerous stages across central Germany and have built up a diverse repertoire. The band can look back on appearances at major events such as the central celebrations for German Unity Day in Erfurt in 2022 or the Biathlon World Championships in Oberhof in 2023. In addition to many performances at the Wartburg in Eisenach and the Künstlergarten in Weimar, they recently played at the University of Jena’s summer festival in the Botanical Garden. With accordion, guitar, double bass, and plenty of swing in their luggage, The Swing States take you on a musical journey through various genres and countries.
The musicians
Philipp Lang
Gitarre
Philipp Lang is originally from Erfurt and began guitar lessons with Holm Köbis. He later transferred to the class of Prof. Jürgen Rost in Weimar. Since 2017, he has been studying at the University of Music "Franz Liszt" Weimar with Prof. Ricardo Gallén and is currently pursuing his master's degree. Masterclasses, workshops, competitions, and concert tours have taken him to countries such as France, Sweden, Dubai, Israel, and Belarus. In addition to his teaching position at the Erfurt Music School, he is involved in numerous orchestras and chamber music projects, often blending various musical genres. Together with Elias Huff, he founded The Swing States in 2020.
Elias Huff
Gitarre
Elias took his first musical steps at the Erfurt Music School. In addition to a classical education, he quickly developed a passion for blues and jazz guitarists. His love for fast rhythms and guitar solos eventually led him to Gypsy Jazz. After studying jazz guitar in Weimar, among other places, he has been living and studying in Leipzig for several years.
David Antiguedad
Gitarre
David Antigüedad Mangas is a Spanish guitarist who lives in Weimar. He studied in Spain, the Netherlands, and Weimar, where he completed his concert exam in 2024. As a soloist and chamber musician, he performs in Europe and Latin America and has worked with orchestras such as the Jena Philharmonic and the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar. In addition to his classical work—including in a duo with Karmen Stendler and in the Weimar Guitar Quartet—he also devotes himself to the acoustic and electric guitar and to styles such as rock, jazz, blues, flamenco, and fusion, for example, with the gypsy jazz ensemble The Swing States.
Nikolay Bozhkov
Kontrabass
Nikolay Bozhkov is a double bassist, electric bassist, music educator, and software developer from Bulgaria. He studied jazz double bass at the University of Music "Franz Liszt" in Weimar with Prof. Manfred Bründl. Alongside his artistic career, he is active as an instrumental teacher and also works in software development. Musically, Nikolay feels at home in a variety of styles – from jazz and Gypsy swing to world music. He performs with various projects and ensembles both in Germany and internationally.
Daniel Roth
Akkordeon
Daniel Roth studied accordion and music theory with Ivan Koval, Claudia Buder, and Veli Kujala in Weimar and Helsinki. He has composed and arranged pieces for numerous bands, students, and accordion performers. Roth gives lectures and seminars in music theory and jazz, and maintains close ties to the classical and popular music scenes in Germany, Finland, Russia, France, and the United Arab Emirates. In 2023, Roth won first prize in the international accordion competition "accordions-nous.org" in the Senior Variety category in Belgium.