Djangology.Net

CD Review: Joseph Reinhardt joue...Django

2010-07-09T01:50:10Z

Legend has it that occasionally Django Reinhardt did not make it to his gigs. Perhaps a billiards game caught Django's fancy and time flew by before Django realized that downbeat had come and gone. The story goes that Django's brother Joseph AKA "Nin-Nin would cover for Django by playing lead guitar with the band (Joseph was one of two rhythm guitarists in the band). We can only imagine what the Hot Club of France sounded like with Nin-Nin covering for Django. Until now.

Label Ouest, a French record company (www.label-ouest.net) has released some long out of print Joseph Reinhardt recordings from 1958-1959 in a new CD entitled Joseph Reinhardt joue...Django. These tracks are a gem. We hear Nin-Nin playing lead acoustic guitar with two rhythm guitarists, a bass and a violin. The arrangements are by Nin-Nin, and as a bonus track we have a 1947 recording of Stephane Grapelli's Hot 4 playing a Joseph Reinhardt original ("Oui, Pour Vous Revoir") with Nin-Nin on lead guitar.

The 10 tracks from the late 50's (Another legend is that after Django's death, Nin-Nin gave up the guitar for several years, so these tracks represent a triumphant return to the world of jazz guitar for Nin-Nin) contain three Joseph Reinhardt originals ("Bric-a-brac", "Triste Melodie" and "Manouche", four Django compositions ("Djangology", "Nuages", "Django's Castle" and "Bric Top") and three standards of the day ("Sweet Sue, "I know that You Know" and "Mon Pote Le Gitan").

On several of the tunes we have the melody played going in and a Joseph Reinhardt shout chorus going out. "Sweet Sue" is reharmonized with a chromatic half step movement.

While Nin-Nin was not the great virtuoso that Django was, Nin-Nin was an excellent jazz guitarist, and these tracks are ample proof of that. The improvisations are lyrical, the changes are made, and there are octaves, block chords, tremolo rolls and superb use of a large vocabulary of jazz chords when comping for the violinist. Nin-Nin leaves lots of space, like the best jazz musicians of all eras. This is not an album of shredding or a display of prodigious chops, this is an album of great music. Nin-Nin's older brother would have been proud. Any fan of Gypsy jazz should own this CD. We now know that on those occasions when Django was unable to make it to the gig (billiards can be intoxicating at times!), the audience was treated to the superb jazz guitar sounds of Joseph Reinhardt.

Highly recommended.

CD Review: "Gypsy Jive" Lou-Lou and the Gypsy Jivers

2010-06-09T17:38:33Z

Fusing musical genres is probably as old as music itself. Jazz itself is the fusion of African and European music combined on the shores of North America. In the 1960's young jazz musicians like Larry Coryell and Chick Corea brought the beat of the rock music they grew up with into the world of jazz. With the communications of today, musical genres from all over the world are being combined.

Enter Louis Matthee, a guitarist who was born and raised in South Africa who now calls the San Francisco Bay area home. Louis (AKA Lou-Lou) has fused Gypsy jazz with "South African Jazz" in his new release "Gypsy Jive". Joining Lou-Lou in this effort are some of the Bay area's best musicians, Joe Kyle, jr. on bass, Tom Griesser on reeds and Ralph Carney on penny whistle and flute.

Lou-Lou has strong chops on the Selmac guitar and a sound that is rooted in the Django Reinhardt tradition with a Robin Nolanesque touch added for good measure. The albums 10 tracks contain two Gypsy jazz standards (Django's Castle and Lady Be Good), 4 Lou-Lou originals and 4 South African jazz tunes. The music has a very strong Afro-Caribbean feel (often Lou-Lou's guitar licks emulate the steel drums to my ears on this disc), and the danceability of these tunes in always present. The two Gypsy jazz standards are done in a very stylized manner.

Those who look for a cerebral jazz experience will probably find this offering a bit simplistic. The tunes are (mostly) based on simple, repetitious harmonies. Those looking for orthodox Gypsy jazz, keep moving. This is something different. Those looking for something new, something happy and something with a serious groove will love it.

My advice is this; get some friends, go to the beach and bring a boombox and queue up "Gypsy Jive". Play it loud. Your party will be a hit.

CD Review: Une Histoire En Cours

2010-05-27T18:27:46Z

Label Quest, a French record company has released an album of 12 Django Reinhardt compositions performed by a variety of French Gypsy guitarists.

The album opens with "Anouman", a beautiful ballad from Django's late period. It is performed by Matcho Winterstein, a French Gypsy with Herve Ganguenetti on Rythym guitar and Claudius Dupont on bass. After stating the head, Winterstein goes into doubletime on the solo and swings it hard, articulating every note with the precision of an ace flying team.

Next up is Noe Reinhardt (a distant relative of Django perhaps?) doing "Dinette", Django's catchy contrafact of "Dinah". After a first rate solo by Noe, Bassist Claudius Dupont (who plays bass on all of this albums tracks) tells his story in strict time. Noe then solos some more over the rhythm guitars of Rudy Debard and Linekar Lemaire before playing the head out. Noe returns later in the album to play "Hungaria" at a blistering tempo. Bravo!

Django's Grandson David Reinhardt and another Django descendant, Levis Adel-Reinhardt play "Blues for Ike" on archtop guitars with Samy Daussat on rhythm guitar. A modern jazz feel over a flat four rhythm. David and Levis also play a lesser known Django piece entitled "Vamp" (a beautiful ballad, again performed with a modern jazz sensibility).

Gadjo (non-Gypsy) Samy Daussat then does a Latin feel version of "Nuit De Saint-German-des-pris". Samy plays both lead and rhythm on this track. Superb phrasing and tasty lines flow effortlessly from the fingers of this virtuoso. Samy's other feature track is "Are You In The Mood".

Swan Berger (a child prodigy) plays "Micro" a Django contrafact of Gershwin's "I got Rhythm" at the usual high speed with Frank Berger and Samy Daussat on rhythm guitars. Lots of notes are played solidly in the Manouche guitar tradition. Wait till Swan Berger is older. His guitar fretboard will need to be treated with fire retardant!

Mundine and Rocky Garcia do "Troublant Bolero" Mundine spells out every chord change on this beautiful composition While Rocky keeps the Gypsy Bolero rhythm propelled in perfect time. Mundine and Rocky also perform "Artillerie Lourde"

Fred de Charco plays the album's waltz "Chez Jacquet".

The last track on this CD is "Tears" performed solidly by French Gypsy Bero Landauer. This album starts and ends with a ballad, a most unusual formula that works stunningly well here.

This album is well worth the price of admission. Every piece is a timeless Django classic played by some of the best French guitarists performing Gypsy jazz today. These performances are inspired and are a joy to listen to. The variety of having 9 different lead guitarists on an album of 12 tracks is wonderful. It is Django's 100^th birthday. Buy this album for yourself as a celebration.

CD Review: "L'assortiment" by Jazz Partout

2010-05-21T17:10:57Z

Jazz Partout is a Gypsy jazz ensemble from Helsinki, Finland. The have a sound that is both traditional and yet very modern as well. They have an accordionist (Mika Huusari) that contributes to their traditional sound and an archtop guitarist (Petri Krzywacki) whose modern bop lines gives the band its modern tonality. Acoustic guitarist Kimmo Iltanen plays his Selmer-Macaferri guitar fully in the Django Reinhardt tradition and bass player Matti Tegelman holds down the bottom.

The bands new CD, "L'assortiment" is indeed as its name implies, an assortment of musical material. There are 5 Django tunes ("Micro", "Hungaria", "Fleur D'ennui", "Folie a' Amphion" and "Swing 39"), two waltzes ("La valse Des Niglos" and "Brise Napolitaine"), three classic standards ("La Mer", "Undecided" and George Gershwin's "Liza"), two tunes by modern Gypsy jazz guitarists (Patrick Saussois' "Just One For Babik" and Robert Gaguenetti's "Lisa-Marie") and two Originals ("September Game" by bassist Tegelman and "August Nocturne" by guitarist Krzywacki (Don't even ask me how to pronounce his name!).

In most of the tunes there are solos by both guitars and the accordion. The band swings hard and the contrast between the sonic qualities (and phrasing) of the two guitars presents a compelling contrast. Old and new meet on the timeless playing field of la pompe. This band proves that one can be both creative and at the same time, very listenable. Bravo Jazz Partout!

For more info go to: www.jazzpartout.com

Album Review: Hot Club Of Philadelphia

2010-04-27T16:59:34Z

Barry Wahrhaftig has been on the American Gypsy Jazz scene for quite some time. His dedication to this genre is unsurpassed. Barry's band, The Hot Club of Philadelphia (www.hotclubphilly.com) has been keeping residents of the city of brotherly love tapping their toes and snapping their fingers for several years. In addition to playing Gypsy jazz, Barry has been involved in the importation and distribution of Asian made Gypsy jazz guitars. Not only tis he a fine player of this music, Barry is an all around good guy.

Recently Barry sent me a copy of The hot Club of Philadelphia's debut CD entitled "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams". The 11 tracks on this album are easy to listen to and contain enough variety to keep any listeners attention,

The opener, "Songe d'Automne is a swinging number led by the very able clarinet playing of Bob Butryn. Barry's guitar solo is tasteful and in the pocket. Butryn can also be heard on "Exactly like You".

Barry has generously published his transcription of "La Gitane" on the web over the years and we now get a chance to hear him perform the piece (replete with accordion, adding a true Parisian feel).

On "Someone to Watch Over Me", guitar virtuoso Howard Alden plays a solo guitar accompaniment to the vocals of Denise King. Barry and Bass player Jim Stager join in to complete a sweet Gypsy jazz version of this Gershwin classic.

Barry and longtime Hot Club Philly violinist Mark Campiglia tear it up on the Gypsy jazz classic "Tchavalo Swing"

A vocal version of Django's classic "Nuages" follows with Phyllis Chapell on vocals.

"Nature Boy" features the flamenco guitar work of Carlos Rubio. This is the albums Latin selection.

Barry's guitar work is featured on "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" and Chez Jacquet" (the albums second waltz).

The title track "Wrap Your Trouble In Dreams" has vocals and a whole horn section. A Dixieland feel permeates this tasteful track.

The last track is a solo version of "While We're Young". This was recorded in the 1960's by guitar legend Wes Montgomery. Here we have Barry's take played on a Selmer style guitar.

This album emphasizes taste over chops and variety over orthodoxy. Barry's hard work and dedication to Gypsy jazz comes through on every track.

"Wrap your Troubles in Dreams" is proof positive that Django lives in the city where America was born. Bravo Barry (and crew)!

Cold Oysters and Hot Jazz

2010-04-26T15:40:15Z

Every Monday, Hot Club Pacific can be seen LIVE at SOIF in downtown Santa Cruz from 7-9 PM

www.soifwine.com

Here's what Ann Parker, of the Santa Cruz Sentinel, has to say:

"At 7 p.m. sharp, Hot Club Pacific swung into action. And I do mean swung. This tight trio of Mark Schwartz, Jack Fields and Matt Bohn -- on guitars and bass, respectively -- cranked out some of the best Django Reinhardt-style hot jazz I've heard in a long while."

Gypsy Jazz lives on California's Central Coast. Come out and support it!

For band information visit:

Main Website: www.hotclubpacific.com

Press Kit: http://hotclubpacific-epk.blogspot.com/

Sounds:

RIP Herb Ellis

2010-04-22T17:27:14Z

The world has lost one of the greatest jazz guitarists ever. I saw Herb Perform many times over the years. I personally spoke to him about his collaberations with Joe Pass a few years ago. He was one of the last jazz guitarists to use 4 to the bar rhythm (Freddy Green Style as opposed to La Pompe). His improvisations were always tasteful and grounded in the blues.

His contribution was mighty. Perhaps he and Django are jamming as we speak....

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postmortem/2010/03/jazz-guitarist-herb-ellis-dies.html

Antoine Boyer - L'univers Isolite de Francis Moerman CD and DVD

2010-04-09T04:04:23Z

I recently received a CD/DVD set from well-known Gypsy Jazz aficionado Scot Wise; as so often happens when I get mail from Scot, it was rare and enchanting music, played by people I hadn't heard of before. And--also as usual--I was impressed.

The discs featured the often overlooked compositions of Francis Alfred Moerman, as played by father and son duo Sebastian and Antoine Boyer. Great fans of Moerman's music, the pair tracked down the aging giant at his 17th century farmhouse, where the recording project took shape, eventually growing to include a half-hour documentary about the process that is at once touching, enlightening, and full of a pulsing life too often missing in more derivative records. It isn't necessarily the virtuosity that makes the difference--though even at 11 years old, Antoine is well on his way to that--but the sensitivity with which father and son approach their icon's work.

(See a clip from the duo here.)

Within the jazz community, Moerman is certainly a less recognizable name than Reinhardt, and most of the tunes on display were unfamiliar to me. But almost immediately, I was struck by the inventiveness of Moerman's compositions; they seemed in many ways to bridge old Musette traditions and more modern jazz innovations in ways I hadn't heard before.

But even without the music, the movie would be a wonderful look at some of our last links to the earlier generations--Moerman talking about a semi-retired Matelot Ferret playing on park benches for unsuspecting tourists, Alain Antonietto lamenting the "Djangomania" that has given rise to a narrow-minded focus on technical prowess. When young Antoine picks up the Busato on which Django is supposed to have written Anouman, it's with a real sense of history.

The CD/DVD combo is currently available at Djangobooks.com: Antoine Boyer - L'univers Isolite de Francis Moerman CD and DVD

14th GIPSY SWING Festival d'ANGERS, May 7 - 12, 2010

2010-04-06T16:56:22Z

The 14th Annual Festival International Des Musiques Tsiganes, also known as the Gipsy Swing Festival d'Angers, is coming May 7 through May 12, 2010. This year's festival promises to be a great one, with Fapy Lafertin, David Reinhardt, Costel Nitescu, Samy Daussat, Bero Landauer and relative newcomers, Esmerald'jazz among the lineup.

For more information, please visit: www.gipsyswing-festival.fr

Here is the program:

GIPSY SWING Festival d'ANGERS 7-12 MAY 2010

8 may :Costel NITESCU Quartet ( + Vinta Sinte)

11 may : '' DJANGO 1910... 100ème ANNIVERSARY NIGHT'' with David REINHARDT,Levis ADEL-REINHARDT,Noé REINHARDT,Samy DAUSSAT,Mundine§Rocky GARCIA, Matcho WINTERSTEIN, Béro LANDAUER,Swan BERGER,Fred de CHARCO

12 may: Fapy LAFERTIN-Lollo MEIER Quartet ( + Esmerald'jazz '' Francis-Alfred Moerman Tribute) , Rocky GRESSET-Noé REINHARDT Duo.

+ ''café-concerts'' with Béro LANDAUER § Youenn DERRIEN 7 may, VINTA SINTE 7 ,8, 9 may and Matcho WINTERSTEIN Trio 10 mai

+ Patrick WILLIAMS-Raymod BONI around Patrick WILLIAMS's book "Les quatre vies posthumes de Django REINHARDT'' ( Editions Parenthèses) 7 may.

Djangology.net to become Bireliology.net

2010-04-01T15:34:12Z

To commemorate Djangology.net's eleventh year of being an online resource for Jazz Manouche, we are changing the name of the website to Bireliology.net, in honor of the current reigning king of guitar, Bireli Lagrene.

(okay, I know... but a good April Fool's is worth doing twice...)

The George Cole Quintet - May 8, 2010

2010-03-28T20:54:08Z

INFO:

The George Cole Quintet

Saturday May 8th

Doors 7 PM/ Show 8 PM

The Freight and Salvage

2020 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94704

http://www.freightandsalvage.org/

Smokin acoustic jazz ensemble the George Cole Quintet swings onto the Freight stage for an evening celebrating the centennial of the birthday of Django Reinhardt. Come hear stories of Django Reinhardt's life, interwoven with his original music and new, Django-inspired compositions. With the ﬁery guitar of George Cole as its centerpiece, this virtuoso Bay Area band invites you to close your eyes and be transported by their infectious Gypsy jazz groove. Joining George in the ensemble are vocalist Molly Mahoney, rhythm guitarist Jimmy Grant, Julian Smedley on violin, and Kenan O'Brien on bass guitar.

George Cole currently teaches gypsy jazz guitar at the Freight, as well as performing great original music with his gypsy, swing, and jazz band. Says Art Thompson of Guitar Player magazine, "Cole's excellent Django-style guitar work and his band's enticing instrumental and vocal harmonies make them a must-see for any fan of vintage jazz."

Django Reinhardt taught himself to play the guitar and performed in the 1930's and 1940's in Europe even though he only had the use of two fingers on his left hand due to a fire. A furious, fast paced gypsy jazz virtuoso and guitar master, he and violinist Stephane Grappelli fronted the legendary 1930s European jazz band, Quintette du Hot Club de France, the combo that revolutionized jazz by applying an irresistible, string-fueled propulsion to the more sedate big-band sound of the time.

Favino 12-string #2 For Sale

2010-03-26T12:33:53Z

For sale Favino 12-string #2. It was built in 1964 by Jacques Favino who made similar guitars for Henri Salvador (picture on Favino's site) and Hugues Auffray (#1) . It was restored by JP Favino in 2007 who also added a truss rod. It is in excellent condition, with rosewood back and sides and spruce top, and a 12-fret 3-piece maple neck. 652mm scale. Sold with matching case. $3000 or best offer. Buyer pays shipping. Please contact

j-lc@mindspring.com for pictures and additional info.

See Baguette Quartette LIVE This weekend - Saturday March 20, 2010

2010-03-19T16:25:13Z

This Saturday March 20, 2010

Join Baguette Quartette to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of L'ILE DE FRANCE Société Française de la Vallée de Santa Clara

What:

Dinner - Danse with Baguette Quartette

When:

Saturday, March 20, 2010, 5:00 pm

Where:

Restaurant Michael 2960 N. Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View 94043

Buffet:

Mixed green salad, spinach w/ mushroom & egg salad,

Antipasto salad, pasta Primavera salad

Roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetables

Snapper Monterey& Sirloin tips

Cheeses and fresh seasonal fruits

Gâteau d'anniversaire

French rolls, coffee , tea

Vin non compris.

«No-host bar» avant, pendant et après le dîner.

«No-host cocktail » à partir de 17h00 - Diner Buffet à 18h00

$40.00

Reservations at: www.ilefr.com or marie@ilefr.com

Favino #1087 For Sale

2010-03-10T00:23:50Z

Ian Cook, of The Cook Trio, is selling Favino #1087 for $6500.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thecooktrio/sets/72157623554080684/

It's a 1996 12-Fret Selmer sized Favino, with a spruce top, mahogany sides and back and a two-piece maple neck.

Contact Ian at the Cook Trio's website, www.thecooktrio.com . While you're on the site, check out some of the tracks from their latest CD and buy a copy!

Hot Club Pacific now gigging on Monday nights!

2010-03-05T22:13:51Z

Every Monday, Hot Club Pacific can be seen at SOIF in downtown Santa Cruz from 7-9 PM

www.soifwine.com

Gypsy Jazz lives on California's Central Coast. Come out and support it!

Soif Wine Bar & Restaurant

Tel:831.423.2020

Address: 105 Walnut Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060