Seva Venet is a traditional banjoist and guitarist who channels the spirit of Django Reinhardt and Danny Barker in his traditional jazz stylings. Venet was raised in Los Angeles, and learned musical craftsmanship from his father, a songwriter and producer, and his uncle Nik, a legendary record producer. Venet was a professional musician and teacher in Southern California throughout the 1990s, but his love affair with the banjo - and the traditional jazz of New Orleans - drew him to the Crescent City at the turn of the century. He began playing with Tuba Fats, Shannon Powell, and Greg Stafford, at second lines, festivals, and clubs. 

Venet joined the Treme Brass Band in 2006, working with Benny Jones and Uncle Lionel Batiste. He also played with Lionel Ferbos’s bands, the Louisiana Shakers and the Palm Court Jazz Band, for several years. 

Today Venet can be found performing with his own Storyville String Band or with one of Dr. Michael White’s various bands, with Greg Stafford’s Jazz Hounds, or with Lars Edegran, Clive Wilson, and other traditional New Orleans groups. He is a sought-after educator, and has been an integral part of the annual Danny Barker Guitar and Banjo Festival since its inception. He has performed from Frenchmen Street to France, and his half-dozen CDs celebrate New Orleans string bands and banjo music.