I've gotten into Django Reinhardt over the last couple years and have really enjoyed it. No way I'm going to try and learn how to play like him anytime soon, but, wow, what a talent. One of the original guitar heroes for sure. I've heard people say Charlie Christian was the original guitar hero, but Django was a little older.
Getting into Django's oeuvre is a bit intimidating: he must've spent tons of time in a recording studio since there are many records bearing his name. I know many have been compiled by record companies and contain the some of the same tracks, but still... lots to keep one busy for a long time listening.
When I get into something I tend to geek-out and deep-dive, so I read some stuff about Django and listened to some podcasts about him. If you're not familiar with him, he was injured in a fire and lost use of all but two fingers on his fret-hand. He re-learned guitar using only those two fingers. It's just insane what he could do with that limitation in mind. Being a gypsy, during the war he would've been a target for the Nazis, but they let him live so the officers could enjoy his music in the Paris night clubs. Just a crazy life, and a brilliant musician.
I'll post some links below as a good place to start for anyone curious yet unfamiliar with his music.
PS: Django even made it onto my work-bag (among other cool things as you can see):
:guitar :guitar :guitar
I am a real fan of that period of music and Django in particular. It is great that some videos have survived. Here is a short video featuring my guitar hero Johnny Smith telling a Django story. They had talked Johnny Smith into showing Django around NY when he came here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96vNVfpF44g
There has been quite a resurgence of gypsy jazz music in recent years.
I have heard some crazy good music from 21st century Gypsy jazz bands.
I have been building a playlist of jazz for a while now and am up to around 75 songs. Django is on there, as well as Charlie Christian, and other greats (though not guitar-related) like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Sidney Bechet, Billie Holiday, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, et al. I have also discovered some great jazz-flavored vocal groups like the Mills Bros, The Ink Spots, The Pied Pipers, et al. So much great old music to discover. I'm finding myself listening to this stuff during the bulk of my music time. It sort of put a damper on my Bob Dylan project (see the Dylan thread). I'm also finding all this stuff working its way into my guitar playing, particularly on my big hollow-body Guild.
:nana_guitar
As much as I enjoy listening to Django Reinhardt, I especially enjoy the exquisite violin of his partner, Stephane Grappelli. Always playing with that impish grin on his face.
I had the opportunity to see him perform twice. The last time around 1990 at the Cleveland Museum of Art (only a couple hundred seats) and first at Hill Auditorium (capacity: 3500) in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the late 1970s. Two of my favorite concert memories.
Quote from: Queequeg on June 01, 2025, 11:04:43 AMAs much as I enjoy listening to Django Reinhardt, I especially enjoy the exquisite violin of Stephane Grappelli. Always playing with that impish grin on his face.
I had the opportunity to see him perform twice. Once at the Cleveland Museum of Art (only a couple hundred seats) and again at Hill Auditorium (capacity: 3500) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Two of my favorite concert memories.
Wow, that's cool. I always wonder what Djanjo and Charlie would've done if they had lived till the rock and roll era and the explosion of electric guitar music.
Quote from: Silence Dogood on June 01, 2025, 11:14:09 AMWow, that's cool. I always wonder what Djanjo and Charlie would've done if they had lived till the rock and roll era and the explosion of electric guitar music.
That's a good question.
I would just have to assume that they would continue to follow their own muse or path; do what they love.
Stephane Grappelli continued to do what he always did, more or less, which included some solo work and collaboration with David Grisman.
I have to say I think it's best that we can't really know the answer to that. Just an open question.
Quote from: Queequeg on June 01, 2025, 06:52:47 PMThat's a good question.
I would just have to assume that they would continue to follow their own muse or path; do what they love.
Stephane Grappelli continued to do what he always did, more or less, which included some solo work and collaboration with David Grisman.
I have to say I think it's best that we can't really know the answer to that. Just an open question.
You are right: we will never know. Fun to ponder such things.
In relation to jazz, I have found myself pretty enamored with the sound of the rhythm guitar in the old songs. I love the cool phrases Charlie and Django did, but it's that "doom-chuck, da-doom-chuck" pumping out the chords that really grabs my ear. This is a style of playing I have no experience with but want to learn more about. The chord shapes are somewhat foreign to me, and that subtle style is very elusive and much harder than it sounds.
:donut :donut : :donut2 donut2
I tried about twenty years ago to dedicate time to learning that style and while my understanding and skill are still rudimentary, it did open up a whole world of arpeggios and chromatics into my playing I doubt would have crept in there without the attempt of getting a grasp of it .
Quote from: Fil on January 28, 2026, 08:43:10 PM:donut :donut : :donut2 donut2
I tried about twenty years ago to dedicate time to learning that style and while my understanding and skill are still rudimentary, it did open up a whole world of arpeggios and chromatics into my playing I doubt would have crept in there without the attempt of getting a grasp of it .
:donut :donut2 :coffee
An amazing sentence, welcome nonetheless.
Mike