HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

The Gypsy Swing of Django Reinhardt

Birth of Modern Jazz: Django Reinhardt

Django Reinhardt

Launching the HMR Project in modern jazz guitar is Django Reinhardt, a swing era musician born as Jean Reinhardt in Belgium on 23 January 1910. Burn injuries via candle during his early career while yet a teenager had left Reinhardt with two paralyzed fingers such that he could strum chords with four fingers but could play melody with only two. Though a swing musician spanning that era, Reinhardt's was a culture apart from his contemporaries in the States, his swing having a strong gypsy and Romani flavor. Nor was he a big band musician, his tour with Duke Ellington in the States in 1946 not really his form. Nor was song so much the thing with Reinhardt as instrumental virtuosity.

Tom Lord's sessionography differs from Paul Vernon's. Both are employed by other sources, so to both I refer. Lord begins with a date of 15 March 1928 for Django at banjo with Jean Vaissade (Vissade) at accordion which Vernon gives a date of 20 June for the same matrices which are BT4115-1 for 'Ma Reguliere' and BT4116-1 per 'Griserie'. Lord points to later issues by Pathe, 'Griserie' not issued until 1971 on the compilation, 'Djangologie 1' per Pathe CO54-16001. Vernon points to 'Ma Reguliere' issued on Gramophone K-5469, and 'Griserie' on Gramophone K-5454 which 45 Worlds has issued in 1928 backed by 'Parisette' of the same session for which Lord hasn't traced release data. Probably because it's not real relevant to jazz, Lord doesn't list where Hikaru Hasegawa's sessionography begins, possibly as early as May of '28 (circa June '28 in Vernon) with Reinhardt performing banjo with Maurice Alexander at accordion for 'Parisette' issued on Henry 848 on an unidentified date. Henry was a French record label now so obscure that I've found nothing anywhere about it. Unless the Henry was issued before the Gramophone, 'Griserie' w 'Parisette' looks like Reinhardt's first appearance on record. Reinhardt also recorded in 1928 with accordion player, V. Marceau. All Reinhardt's recordings below were made in Paris unless otherwise mentioned.

'Parisette' Django Reinhardt w accordion by Jean Vaissade

Recorded 15 March or 20 June 1928 Matrix BT 4118 Issued on Gramophone K-5454 1928

Composition: F. Wolter

'Parisette' Django Reinhardt w accordion by Maurice Alexander

Recorded May or June 1928 Issued on Henry 848

Composition: F. Wolter

Recordings below document Reinhardt throughout 1928 per the discography at Djangopedia, issued largely on the Ideal and Henry labels.

Django Reinhardt Recordings of 1928

Dates differ again as to when Reinhardt's touring wagon caught on fire, leaving him with two fingers for plucking, that on 26 October if not 2 November of 1928. That accident occasioned Reinhardt's switch from banjo to guitar, he not recording again until 1931 with accordion player and bassist, Louis Vola:

Django Reinhardt w Louis Vola Recordings of 1931 all on 28 May

'Canaria' Matrix OG762-1 Issued on Gramophone (HMR) K-6542

'C'est une valse qui chante' Matrix OG764-1 Issued on Gramophone (HMR) K-6339

'Carinosa' Matrix OG765-1 Issued on Gramophone (HMR) K-6542

Reinhardt did no recording in 1932, the year the Hot-Club opened in Paris, announced in November that year (now the restaurant, Chez Leon). Reinhardt and Vola meanwhile hooked up with pianist and violinist, Stephane Grappelli, at the Hotel Claridge in Paris. Among the numerous with whom Reinhardt recorded in 1933 was vocalist, Jean Sablon. They are joined by singer, Eliane De Creus, below:

'Parce Que Je Vous Aime' ('Because I Love You')

Django Reinhardt backing Jean Sablon w Eliane De Creus

Recorded 14 March 1933 Matrix OPG-642-2 Issued on Gramophone K-6863

Music: Pascal Bastia Lyrics: Jean Bastia

'Si J'Aime Suzy'

Django Reinhardt backing Jean Sablon w Eliane De Creus

Recorded 14 March 1933 Matrix OPG-643-2 Issued on Gramophone K-6863

Composition: Pascal Bastia

More sessions with Sablon ensued into 1934 until Reinhardt held a private session in August with his brother, Joseph, also at guitar accompanied by Juan Fernandez on bass. Not issued at the time were 'Tiger Rag', 'After You've Gone' and 'Confessin''. Reinhardt and Grappelli first recorded together as Delaunay’s Jazz, putting away 'I Saw Stars' and 'Confessin'' in September of 1934. Neither were issued at the time, but found their way onto the compilation, 'Quintette Du Hot Club De France' per Vogue 425019 in 1984. Charles Delaunay was not in this group, but was an original founder of the Hot Club de France society which had formed in 1931 to promote gypsy jazz internationally.

'After You've Gone' Django Reinhardt Private session

Recorded 10 September 1934 Unissued

Other personnel: Guitar: Joseph Reinhardt Bass Juan Fernandez

Music: Turner Layton 1918 Lyrics: Henry Creamer

'I Saw Stars' Django Reinhardt w Delaunay's Jazz

Recorded 10 September 1934 Unissued

Other personnel: Guitars: Joseph Reinhardt & Roger Chaput

Bass: Louis Vola Vocal: Bert Marshall

Composition: Al Goodhart / Al Hoffman / Maurice Sigler

It was yet 1934 when Reinhardt founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France with Stephane Grappelli. On December 28 they recorded, in matrix order, 'Dinah' (Harry Akst), 'Tiger Rag', Lady Be Good' and 'I Saw Stars':

'Lady Be Good' Django Reinhardt w the Quintette du Hot Club de France

Recorded 28 Dec 1934

Issued in 1935 on Ultraphone B 14286, Oriole LV.100 and Oriole LB.1000 [Discogs]

Composition: George Gershwin

Recordings below document Reinhardt throughout 1934 per the discography at Djangopedia, followed by an unissued recording with clarinetist and tenor saxophonist, Alix Combelle. gone down in 1935:

Django Reinhardt Recordings of 1934

'Sheik of Araby' Django Reinhardt w Alix Combelle

Recorded May or June 1935 Unissued

Other personnel: Piano: Stephane Grappelli

Guitar: Joseph Reinhardt Bass: Louis Vola Drums: Jerry Mengo

Music: Ted Snyder 1921 Lyrics: Harry Smith / Francis Wheeler

Reinhardt also supported Grappelli's Hot Four on several occasions. Lord has that ensemble recording as early as 10 September of 1935:

'St. Louis Blues' Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli's (violin) Hot Four

Recorded 10 Sep 1935 Decca 5824

Other personnel: Guitar: Joseph Reinhardt & Pierre "Baro" Ferret Bass: Louis Vola

Composition: W.C. Handy 1914

'Limehouse Blues Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli's (violin) Hot Four

Recorded 13 Oct 1935 Decca F.5780

Other personnel: Guitar: Joseph Reinhardt & Pierre "Baro" Ferret Bass: Louis Vola

Music: Philip Braham 1921 Lyrics: Douglas Furber

'I've Found a New Baby' Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli's (violin) Hot Four

Recorded 21 Oct 1935 Matrix 2079hpp Decca F5943

Other personnel: Guitar: Joseph Reinhardt Bass: Tony Rovira

Composition: Jack Palmer / Spencer Williams 1926

'It Don't Mean a Thing' Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli's (violin) Hot Four

Recorded 21 Oct 1935 Matrix 2083hpp Decca F5831

Other personnel: Guitar: Joseph Reinhardt Bass: Tony Rovira

Music: Duke Ellington 1931 Lyrics: Irving Mills

Though Grappelli had his Hot Four to ramrod, and Reinhardt his Quintette du Hot Club de France, they continued working together into and throughout the forties, meanwhile pursuing separate paths. Tracks below both include Grappelli and not. He was out when Reinhardt and his brother, Joseph, along with Louis Vola, performed in the orchestra of violinist, Michel Warlop:

'Magic Strings' Django Reinhardt w Michel Warlop (leader/violin)

Recorded 17 April 1936 Polydor 512.736

Composition: M. Van Hoorebeke

'In a Sentimental Mood' Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli (violin)

Recorded 26 April 1937 HMR B.8629

Composition: Duke Ellington / Manny Kurtz / Irving Mills

'Steven's Blues' Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli (violin)

Recorded 21 Dec 1937 Swing 69

Composition: Grappelli / Reinhardt

'The Man I Love' Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli (piano)

Recorded 25 August 1939 in London Decca F-7390

Composition: George & Ira Gershwin

'Nuages' Django Reinhardt w Hubert Rostaing (tenor sax)

Django Reinhardt's QHCF w the Hubert Rostaing-Aime Barelli et Leur Orchestre

Recorded 13 Dec 1940 Swing 88

Composition: Reinhardt

In fall of 1946 Reinhardt made his first trip to the United States where he began a tour with Duke Ellington per a performance at Cleveland Music Hall. Up to this time Reinhardt had played acoustic guitar exclusively. He took up the electric guitar with Ellington:

'Ride, Red, Ride' Django Reinhardt goes electric w Duke Ellington

Recorded 10 Nov 1946 in Chicago

Issued on 'Duke Ellington and his Orchestra with Django Reinhaardt' Prima DC. 01 & 02

Composition: Lucky Millinder / Irving Mills

'Blues Riff' Django Reinhardt goes electric w Duke Ellington

Recorded 10 Nov 1946 in Chicago

Issued on 'Duke Ellington and his Orchestra with Django Reinhaardt' Prima DC. 01 & 02

Composition: Reinhardt

'Improvisation #7' Django Reinhardt goes electric w Duke Ellington

Recorded 10 Nov 1946 in Chicago

Issued on 'Duke Ellington and his Orchestra with Django Reinhaardt' Prima DC. 01 & 02

Composition: Reinhardt

'Honeysuckle Rose' Django Reinhardt goes electric w Duke Ellington

Recorded 10 Nov 1946 in Chicago

Issued on 'Duke Ellington and his Orchestra with Django Reinhaardt' Prima DC. 01 & 02

Music: Fats Waller 1929 Lyrics: Andy Razaf

Lord's sessionography traces Reinhardt and Grappelli together to as late as January and February of 1949 in Rome. Reinhardt was back to acoustic guitar for that:

'It Might As Well Be Spring' Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli (violin)

Recorded February 1949 in Rome Matrix WL214

Available on 'Rome 1949' by Label Ouest

Music: Richard Rodgers 1945 Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

'Brazil' Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli (violin)

Recorded February 1949 in Rome Matrix WL217

Available on 'Rome 1949' by Label Ouest

'Pigalle' Django Reinhardt w Stephane Grappelli (violin)

Recorded February 1949 in Rome Matrix WL219

Music: Georges Ulmer / Guy Luypaerts Lyrics: Géo Koger

Available on 'Rome 1949' by Label Ouest

Rolling into Reinhardt's final years in the fifties, we find him back at electric guitar. 'Deccaphonie' below is the second to last track that Reinhardt recorded, that matrix P1726-1 on 8 April 1953 in Paris [Jacopoj/Lord]. That saw issue on Decca MF36165 and numerous other issues. Reinhardt's swan song was a second take of 'Deccaphonie' per matrix P1726-2 issued on Decca MF36165 as well, and that only. Jacopoj has that final track lost.

'Nuages' Electric Django ReinhardtEt & Ses Rythmes

Recorded 11 March 1953 Blue Star 6830

Personnel: Piano: Maurice Vander Bass: Pierre Michelot Drums: Jean-Louis Viale

Composition: Reinhardt

'Deccaphonie' Electric Django Reinhardt From final session Matrix 4 of 5

Recorded 8 April 1953 in Paris Decca MF36165

Personnel: Piano: Martial Solal Vibes: Fats Sadi

Bass: Pierre Michelot Drums: Pierre Lemarchand

Composition: Reinhardt

Reinhardt died of brain hemorrhage while taking a walk after a performance in Samois-sur-Seine, France, on May 16, 1953, only 43 years of age. His brother and longtime partner at guitar, Joseph, survived until 7 February 1982. Reinhardt's career-long comrade in Hot gypsy jazz, Stephane Grappelli, lived until 1 December 1997. Django was the father of guitarist, Babik Reinhardt, who lived from 1944 to 2001.

Sources & References:

Encyclopedia

Richard S. Ginell

David McCarty

New World Encyclopedia

Albums (pertaining to above):

Duke Ellington and his Orchestra with Django Reinhardt (Prima DC. 01 & 02)