Django Reinhardt

Django Reinhardt: The Gypsy Genius

Django Reinhardt was born in Belgium in 1910, into a family of French gypsies. His Christian name was Jean-Baptiste but to his friends he was the "prince" or "grande seigneur". In his prime he seemed to rule the world of jazz guitar and in many ways was a law unto himself. It was rare to see him practice and he often just took off to go fishing or to play snooker.

As a boy, his family moved often and for a time they lived in a little shanty town outside of Paris, called the "zone". That is where Reinhardt walked the streets and listened to the sounds of music emanating from clubs and bars. When he was about 12 years of age, he took up the violin and the banjo. As a teenager, he became proficient in the art of guitar.

He learned pieces by listening to jazz records imported from America. When he began working in a public setting, his style combined classical and gypsy elements. By the year 1934, Django was in partnership with Stephane Grappelli. He was a violinist and in addition to regular engagements, they began recording. By this time they were playing with a string quintet known as "Le Quintette Du Hot Club", successfully touring Europe.

Grappelli and Reinhardt complemented each other beautifully in style and technique. The group was the first European jazz quintet to make a big impression on audiences in the United States. One early recording was the "Tiger Rag", done in 1934 and featuring an impressive solo by Django. Two other period pieces showcasing the talents of both Reinhardt and Grappelli and also recorded that year were "I Saw Stars" and "Dinah".

One of the group's highlights during the year 1935, was the recording of "Swanee River". It included a lively solo by Django Reinhardt, which was full of brilliant turns. In that same year he recorded "St. Louis Blues" and composed the original piece, "Djangology", which featured beautifully strummed chords, an enchanting melody, and captivating solo. By the time he recorded "You're Driving Me Crazy" in 1937, Reinhardt had developed much as a guitarist. He had a deeper dimension, mood, and the recording reveals a pronounced rhythm as well as atonal motifs and double-stopping. During these years, Django Reinhardt also recorded with Coleman Hawkins All Star Jam Band and it was with them that he did "Honeysuckle Rose".

When World War II tore Europe apart and split the quintet, Grappelli remained in London while Django went to Paris. It was here that he composed and recorded "Nuages". After the war, he visited the United States and went on tour with the great Duke Ellington. When he returned to France, he took up with Grappelli again and began incorporating into his playing, some of what he had learned in America, notably harmonic advances in American jazz.

From 1949 to 1953, Reinhardt reached his peak with such memorable numbers as "Stormy Weather", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "Boogie Woogie", and "The World is Waiting For The Sunrise". Just prior to his death in 1953 at age 43, Django Reinhardt recorded the solo, "Night and Day". His performance proved to be as brilliant as his memory. In apperance, Django looked very much like the swarthy movie actor, Gilbert Roland. He was a skilled improviser with a flamboyant style that left audiences in stunned disbelief. He will always be remembered for having raised the standard of guitar playing with his heart-stopping solos and virtuosity. His favorite guitar was the Selmer Maccaferri, containing an internal sound chamber to enhance volume. Two of the world's greatest guitarists influenced by Reinhardt's technique, talent, and style were Julian Bream and Chet Akins. Julian Bream >>

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