| The Master |
| Django Reinhardt |
| Apart from being a superb technician, Django was also an accomplished composer who incorperated the popular rhythms of his day, such as fox trots and boleros. One of his lesser known achievements was a mass that he composed, but never released. It shows Django's appreciation for J.S. Bach, but without copying him. His abilities as a composer are probably what made him such an effective improviser (His solos are like mini-compositions). If you are interested in hearing the man and making a judgement for yourself, then here are a few cds that I suggest: *Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grapelli w/ the Quintette of the Hot Club of France (this is on the London label and is titled "Souvenirs") *Django Reinhardt: vol. 3 - this is on the JSP label *Basically any recordings on the JSP label- they offer an inexpensive $25-35 little box set (4-5 cds) that is very well worth the money! Remember, he recorded over a thousand tracks that are floating around out there. Also, some of it was transferred from old scratchy 78rpm. discs. However, it's all great and has a certain magic and nostalgia to it. Enjoy! |
| Django was born Jean-Baptiste Reinhardt on January 24, 1910 in Liverchies, Belgium. His parents were both entertainers, who travelled with a troupe throughout Europe and North Africa. Django's mother finally settled outside of the walls of Paris when he was very young. The environment, known as "the zone", was very harsh. However, life was carefree for Django. He did not have to attend school, could play all day in trash heaps that were common, and had plenty of children to play with from his large extended family. Music has always played an important role in Romany culture and when a child shows an interest in playing an instrument, the family supports it. When he was still very young, about twelve, Django started to play the banjo-guitar. He became obsessed and learned very rapidly. In no time he was playing with all the professional musicians. By the age of seventeen he had a unique style that got him plenty of work in all the cafes and dance halls. His natural ability and genius is evident on the recordings he made in 1918, before his accident. Although these recordings are distorted, the banjo stands out as a display of Django's incredible virtuosity that remains his legacy. That year, when Django was 18, he was in a horrible accident that almost killed him. Django's caravan burst into flames after accidentally igniting a pile of celluloid flowers. Approximately 80% of his body was burned. Doctors wanted to amputate his leg, but it was spared. His left hand was also severely damaged. The ring and little finger were disfigured and, therefore had limited use. Although they were supposidly paralyzed, old photographs and concert reviews indicate otherwise. In chordal work, he could use his ring finger on the 2nd and 3rd string, and his little finger on the first string. When playing single string solos, he could use his ring finger for certain phrases. However, the majority of his playing was with two fingers. Although this could be seen as a gimmick, it certainly was not! Django recovered and started creating a new tecnique for his left hand so that it would not be limited and immediately went back to work. After a reunion with his childhood sweetheart, Sophie Ziegler, a.k.a. Naguine, Django took a trip to the south of France that would change the course of his life, and jazz guitar. In Toulon, Django and Joseph were making their way by playing in bars for drinks and tips. It was in one of these bars that Django, as if by fate, would meet Emile Savitry. Savitry was a lover of the arts who came from a wealthy family and, therefore, had the luxury of world travel. While staying in a room at the Cafe des Lions, Savitry met Django and Joseph, who were playing in the downstairs cafe. He invited them up to his room to listen to some jazz records that he had brought back from his travels. This was the first time Django ever listened to Duke Ellington, Joe Venuti, And Louis Armstrong. It must have been a revalation for him. He would be dedicated to jazz for the rest of his life. When Django returned to Paris, he had the idea of starting his own group in his mind and, although there was a shortage of jazz musicians in Europe at that time, there was the Hot Club. The Hot Club was a fan club dedicated to hot jazz. It was headed by Charles Delauney, who also started Jazz Hot Magazine. Through the Hot Club, Django was in contact with all the great jazz players of that time. Oscar Aleman, for instance, was a close friend of Django's , whom he often substituted when Django would simply decide not to show up to a gig. The Hot Club sponsored a band that Django had put together with violinist, Stephan Grappelli, bassist Louis Vola, and Joseph Reinhardt and Eugene Vees on guitars. This is how they got the name "the Quintette of the Hot Club of France". It started out with dressing room jam sessions during breaks and the rest is history. Django's abilities on the guitar were not compromised either physically or musically. He was an excellent composer and improviser, whose imagination surpassed many of his contemporaries. He mastered jazz, which, at that time, was a foriegn (American) art form. No other guitarist in the history of jazz guitar has contributed as much he did. Anyone who is a serious student of jazz guitar must acknowledge him. |