The talented local band Billet-Deux is taking a step into the national arena with the launch of their first CD “Alita.”

Whidbey Islanders will be the first to hear the new sounds at the band’s CD release party at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts this Saturday.

The four musicians — two who live in Langley — play a hybrid of gypsy swing (or gypsy jazz) and modern jazz. They are bridging the gap between the two types of music. And they are doing so with a very unique collaboration of instruments.

“I can’t think of any other groups that have the same instrumentation that we have — two guitars, a cello and upright bass — even in the gypsy swing community and the straight ahead jazz community,” said Troy Chapman, Billet-Deux guitarist.

Right now is a great time to see the band members play because they feel they have reached the point they’ve been striving for since their start.

“We’ve been through a few different incarnations over the past four and a half years, and eventually came to the line-up that we have now, which is just an incredible line-up of really, really talented jazz musicians,” Chapman said.

“And we’re now playing exactly what we want to be playing how we want to be playing it,” he said.

The band members said their CD is a reflection of their musical accomplishments.

“The CD is really our entry into gypsy jazz on a national level,” Chapman said.

“The music on the CD is a combination of some songs that are straight ahead gypsy swing. Some are a little bit more intricate than that, jazzier than that,” he said.

Billet-Deux strives for a sound that won’t get old for their audience.

“I think by the time that you listen to it a couple of times, you will want to listen to a few more times,” Chapman said.

“We don’t think it ever gets boring. You never know what’s coming up next on this CD. But we’re not trying to hit you over the head with a shovel either,” he added.

“It’s just a thoroughly enjoyable and imaginative and listenable CD,” he said.

The four musicians, who have played all across Washington, are celebrating the release of their new album on Whidbey.

“The main thing I enjoy about playing on Whidbey Island is I live here on Whidbey Island,” Chapman said.

James Hinkley is the other islander; the pair’s other two bandmates are from Seattle. The islanders are pleased there will be no travel for this performance.

“When you’ve been a musician as long as I have, the ability to go to a gig and get there in five minutes or 10 minutes is like heaven after spending so much time driving hours and hours and hours to get to different gigs,” Chapman said. “It’s sort of a payback for some of the other guys in the band, too.”

After the release of their CD, Billet-Deux is looking forward to what the future has in store.

“We would like to be able to play as many festivals as we can, and we would like to play more around the Northwest and around the country as time and scheduling permits,” Chapman said.

“We would really like to bring gypsy jazz and our type of jazz to as many people as we can,” he said. “And we think once people hear it, they will enjoy it. It’s a great kind of music.”