In the few months since its release this spring, Selmer #607--the album takes its title from the guitar shared by the six soloists featured over sixteen tracks--has created a stir in the Gypsy Jazz community the likes of which hasn't been seen since Bireli Lagrene's Gypsy Project discs helped usher in a new era. And like those landmark recordings, Selmer #607 seems poised to leave a wide-reaching and long-lasting influence in its wake.
The soloists, still all in their twenties, possess a maturity in their playing that belies their age. It's not only in their phrasing, but in their choice of repertoire as well: the group tackles everything from Stella By Starlight to Polkadots and Moonbeams and the Coltrane classic Impressions. And when the early Djangoism of Viper's Dream and Billets Doux appears (courtesy of Sébastien Giniaux and Adrien Moignard, respectively), it sounds like nothing you've heard before. These are players who have absorbed the style so thoroughly that they've largely moved beyond it, happily mixing influences with a new fluency.
They all appear here with the same rock-solid rhythm section, which ties the album together while highlighting the individual voices on display: the aforementioned Moignard and Giniaux, as well as Richard Manetti, Rocky Gresset, and Noe Reinhardt. Sonically, the famous guitar at the center of the project also helps unify the different sounds of the artists; at the same time, it seemed to spark a penchant for innovation in the studio--Moignard was inspired to record Billets Doux, which he hadn't played before, simply by the sound of the instrument.
There's also a feeling of camaraderie and mutual respect evident in the playing. Where one might expect a cutting contest, these musicians instead seemed to inspire one another to greater heights. Says Giniaux: "This project was a way of getting us together, each one with his own style and talent. The vibe got us to do great things." And indeed, when they were given the opportunity to choose guests musicians for their tracks, they frequently looked to one another: Moignard appears on Gresset's version of Stella By Starlight and David Gastine's Insensiblement, while Gresset guests on Noe Reinhardt's Instants volés. Interestingly, many of the players have a strong interest in archtop guitars and American jazz; it's a focus that adds much to the vocabulary that these players are--to a great extent--helping to build before our eyes. (Fans of Moignard's playing are advised to pick up a copy of Still Time, his stellar album with Ensemble Zaiti, for an even more modern approach to the music.)
The production team behind the album has done a great job of generating interest in the release, and they've kept their musicians in the public eye with a slew of extras. The album website features the wealth of bonus material that we've come to expect in an Internet age: behind the scenes footage, photos, b-sides, and even chord charts and backing tracks for budding guitarists. The Selmer #607 crew is currently on tour, sometimes literally passing the guitar from one soloist to another as they work through their sets, and many of their concerts are excerpted on the website--in every way, this album marks a turning point in the evolution of Gypsy Jazz, and the beginning of a new era.
For a look inside the recording process of Selmer #607, visit the production's YouTube channel. To purchase the album as a CD or as mp3s, visit the Selmer #607 website or Djangobooks.com (CD only).
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