category: instrumental jazz / easy listening

Album review:
Recorded between 1934 and 1941, this is a wonderful collection of Django Reinhardt's Quintet of the Hot Club of France recordings. Reinhardt was one of the first--if not the first--European jazz musicians to influence American musicians. His drive, elegance and sense of swing is still a contemporary influence, and he was, with his combination of swing jazz with gypsy/Rom folk music, one of the first true jazz "fusion" players. (Listen to certain David Grisman, Larry Coryell or String Trio of New York recordings to hear his inspiration in contemporary contexts.) His musical partner, violinist Grappelli combined classical technique with a warm, romantic jazz tone. As a bonus, Reinhardt is heard on two songs with a group featuring some of Duke Ellington's long-time players, Rex Stewart and Barney Bigard. If you love jazz of the 1930-40 period and/or jazz guitar, this is a must-have. If you're just curious about Reinhardt, this is a fine place to start. And the sound quality is excellent!

CD Track Listing

  1. Dinah ('34 version) (Akst / Lewis / Young) (2:35)
  2. Tiger Rag (Larocca / Edwards / Sbarbaro / Shields / DeCosta) (2:34)
  3. Oh, Lady Be Good (George & Ira Gershwin) (2:53)
  4. I Saw Stars (Sigler / Goodhart / Hoffman) (2:31)
  5. Confessin' (Daugherty / Reynolds / Neiberg) (2:56)
  6. The Continental (w/Jerry Mengo: vocals) (Conrad / Magidson) (2:38)
  7. Blue Drag (Myrow) (2:53)
  8. Swanee River (Stepehn Foster) (3:04)
  9. Ultrafox (Reinhardt / Grappelli) (3:20)
10. Avalon (Jolson / Rose / DeSylva) (2:53)
11. Smoke Rings (Gifford) (2:52)
12. I've Had My Moments (Kahn / Donaldson) (2:58)
13. Djangology (Django Reinhardt) (2:56)
14. Nagasaki (w/Freddy Taylor: vocals) (Dixon / Warren) (2:49)
15. Sweet Chorus (Reinhardt / Grappelli) (2:44)
16. Rose Room (Hickman / Williams) (2:45)
17. When Day Is Done (Katscher) (3:13)
18. Nocturne (Django Reinhardt) (3:13)
19. Improvisation (Django: solo guitar) (Django Reinhardt) (2:41)
20. Low Cotton (Stewart) (3:00)
21. Solid Old Man (Ellington) (3:04)
22. Nuages (Django Reinhardt) (3:16)
23. Jive Bomber (Stephane Grappelli) (3:16)
24. Dinah ('41 version) (Akst / Lewis / Young) (3:09)

Django Reinhardt - guitar on all tracks except 23, 24
w/Stephane Grappelli: violin - tracks 1-18, 23, 24

Total timing: 71:06

Label/No: ASV Living Era 5138 (UK import)

Release date: 1994 reissue