Fapy Lafertin, born on November 20, 1950, in Kortrijk, Belgium, is a jazz guitarist and musician known for his traditional Gypsy-Jazz style. Coming from a Manouche family, he began his musical journey in the late 1960s with the Roma Orchestra de Piottos led by Piotto Limberger. In 1975, Lafertin and clarinetist Koen De Cauter left to form the Waso Quartet with Albert Vivi Limberger and Michel Verstraeten, becoming a leading ensemble in the Gypsy-Jazz scene of Belgium and the Netherlands. They released six albums together. From 1985 onwards, he led his own Hot Club Quintet, Fapy Lafertin, which closely followed the style of the French Quintette du Hot Club de France from the 1930s. Throughout his career, he collaborated with numerous international musicians, including Charlie Byrd and Stéphane Grappelli. Notable albums include Fine & Dandy (2003) with Fapy Lafertin Quintet and Tim Kliphouse, and Django!! A Tribute (2010) with Koen De Cauter.
