The Steel Guitar Forum

A few weeks ago I posted a message about a great release on JSP-UK of Louis Armstrong's complete Hot Fives and Sevens. That was a nicely re-mastered set of four CD's for about $23.00 on cdnow. I see where the same label is carrying a FIVE-CD set of Django (in various musical settings) for $23.00. That's six hours of Django Reinhardt . . .
and that's more guitar than you can shake a stick at! And no, I don't work for JSP or cdnow, but I should buy stock in them, I guess.

Rob

I love Django!

I try to get most of my ideas from Django and Monk.

i b"lieve in the past 70 years gone bye,
Jean Baptiste "Django" Rheinhardt is the only Non American Artist to have influenced
so greatly the advancement of Contemporary ?
Musik.
Aside from his Rom upbringin, + Musik,
his favourite pastime was Fishin'
i heard say that he would disappear,not to be found, no matter if he had gigs or not.
Before the war, Duke Ellington had invited Django to the States.
Django would NOT get on board of an Airplane
because of his Fear of them.
Did he make it to States ?
i believe so.
Who could tell me + us more ?
Vive le Jazz Hot Klub .
Steel gone fishin'

Have any of you guys heard of the band Sinti?
It's a contempory band of teenagers from Norway who are real gypsies. The lead player sounds as if he's Django reincarnate... Awesome.....check it out!!!

CrowBear. Django did indeed make it to America. I have a friend who was in the Ellington band when at the time. He told me that Django was spectacular.

The reason that Django left the US early was that he was beaten by someone at the William Morris agency in New York at a game of billiards. He got ****ed and left. He really did not enjoy being in the US. He had no friends here and was lonesome for the life he enjoyed in Europe with the people he was comfortable with. He was his own man!

I'm no expert--just an appreciator of his work--. It is my impression that for whatever reason, Django's American period was not what he is remembered for. Just not as cohesive and fully conceived as the rest of his body of work. Perhaps he was past his prime?
As the earlier part of my musical life was devoted to playing jazz, I was always sensitive to the reverse racism in the music. The best musicians have always been free of it. But lower down the ladder you find attitude.
I believe Django would be higher on the jazz Mt.Olympus without his handicap (white, European).
I do also believe that any culturally literate musician knows how important Django is. The writers, critics, history writers have been less aware.

Thanks for the heads-up, Robert.

Django's playing in the late 40's early 50's was as good if not better than it was in the 30's. I think his American experience was just culturally abnormal for him, kinda like when he tried to play electric guitar it did not suit him at all, not the same fluidity or confidence.

My point being when he was out of his native environment both musically and socially he could not adapt, and history shows this to be true.

I'm a big fan of Django's music, and have played violin in a number of Hot Club groups.
Apparently in the US Dango was playing on borrowed instruments, not all that similar to his own. His later bebop flavored playing
was great, but I prefer his early solos (though the ensembles were somewhat "inflexible".) There is no question that
his playing influenced country guitarists
probably through Les Paul. Also John McLaughlin and other jazz players were very influenced. You hear Django's sound in a lot of the "exotic sounds" of easy listening
and soundtrack music from the 50s/60s. For me I'm attracted to his drawing from a long eastern gypsy tradition-Its like listening to folks who draw from blues or old-time church music. There is such a deep feeling there.
Charles Delauney's bio is interesting. it describes Django as a child who floats through life. There is an active scene in Western Europe playing his music,
and a great film on the Samois festival held in his honor every year. (Can't remember the name of it) --Joel

i remember driving like hell to catch the train to work and hearing this solo (acapella) guitar on the jazz radio station.
I was so drawn and mesmerized by this playing that i could not tear myself away to get my train even though i got there in time to see it come and go. it was Django.

Indeed Joel, every year, since 79,the little town of Samois ,notfar from Paris, close to Fontainebleau, on the island du Berceau, is a festival in June.
Many Manouches,+ Roms gather there.
Django rests in the cemetery of Samois.
According to a review i read concerning this years festival 80 musicians gathered to Celebrate "leJazz Manouche" + Jazz Hot Klub de France. The Quintet of the Jazz Hot Klub of San Francisco was present.
it would be a great idea to get Steel + Violin represented there ?!?!!
When i hear Buddy + Rob play on them Swing albums, it's right up that Alley.
Vive le Jazz Hot Steel....

Joaquin Murphey told me numerous times that along with Benny Goodman,George Shearing and the horn section from the Glen Miller band,Django was a major musical influence on his steel guitar style.

The only time I've had the pleasure of hearing Django was when I was stationed in Germany. He was often heard on AFN, the Armed Forces Network.

Dear Django Fans:
This thread comes full circle - the six-hour Django set was, after all, just $21.49. It includes some material that I had already collected - but not a lot, and it sounds great. There are tunes where he takes more of a backseat - comping behind a singer, for example, or behind Coleman Hawkins on a few tracks, but even in the backseat he swings.
The sort of musicianship we all aspire to, I guess. The title of this release is "The Classic Early Recordings In Chronological Order", and appears on p.148 in the latest Elderly Music catalog, or as stated earlier on cdnow WITH sound samples. You are getting sleeepy - VERY sleepy - you are going to buy a new set of CD's - something somebody told you about . . .

Rob