Which Django Era?

Charles Meadows

What would be a good example of Django 40-45? I assume Stochelo would be in the group with Fapy?

Jazzaferri

I think Stochelo's playing has evolved a fair bit particularly over the past several years.

To my ear he is really getting his own voice now.

Charles Meadows

Very true. And I am pretty new to this so take me with a grain of salt! I would guess that the classic Rosenberg stuff, like North Sea Jazz and Live at Samois would be "early" Django style (albeit with panache)? Thanks.

Teddy Dupont

Stochelo is definitely pre-war Django in spirit and Boulou is in a different world altogether. Boulou is a gypsy playing jazz orientated music. He does not play gypsy jazz and has not done so for many years - if he ever really did. I think he would be upset if you said that was his style.

To me, the inclusion of a violin in the line-up tends to give it a pre-war Django feel regardless of how the guitarist actually plays (eg Bireli). That is the ambient usually created by that combination of guitar and violin.

Jazzaferri

I don't find the stuff that Stochelo does with Tommy Emmanuel or some others is early Django at all.

Rosenberg Trio is with some exceptions in the GJ tradition.

Matteo

I love it all but I don't listen to everything all the time. I tend to get immersed in certain periods at certain points. I don't know how the 1937 + 1946-47 thing happened. I guess that I discovered, or re-discovered, recordings that I hadn't listened much to earlier. So they sounded very fresh to my ears. I voted for 1940-1946 again.

Dario Napoli

I was going to go with I love them all..:) but the I just have a soft spot for the Rome recordings, and not because I am from Italy, there's something about Django with the pianist and the brushes and the higher quality recordings...:)

Jazzaferri

Dario raises a good point. There are a few of his recordings that really speak to me in a very special way. The 4 that he cut with Rex Stewart, Barney Bigard and ?? Taylor on bass?? Pardon my seniors moment. To me that is jazz at its very best, timeless, conversational improvisation....as meaningful today as it was 80 years ago. Blues for Ike....I have played that one for young jazz guitarists who think it great modern stuff then I tell them it was recorded in 53. The looks are priceless.

Bones

Dario, yes the later stuff with the piano, etc. is great. Sometimes I listen to that and I think it still sounds 'fresh' even today. Still, I stick with my 'all of it' vote since I will always appreciate the early, classic stuff and it still blows me away. I guess it is all 'timeless' which is part of the genius.

Michael Bauer

I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but if it weren't for the 1934-39 stuff, Django would have likely ended up in a concentration camp, or shot at the Swiss border, and there would have been no other eras to even listen to.

To me, the early stuff is the best listening. I love all of Django's music, and I wouldn't want to choose. But if I HAD to limit myself to one era, it would be '34-'39 with the Quintet. The spontaneous energy and chemistry of that band never really quite happened with any of the other bands after the war, even with Grappelli. There are some great tunes and playing during and after WWII, and once you get past the horrid sound quality of the Stimer era (let the outraged reactions begin!), Django plays some incredible stuff, but none of it is as fun for me to listen to as the pre-war music.

If you really like all the late stuff better, why bother to learn the Pompe? It was almost never used after 1939. But we all do, because the pre-war stuff is still the sound and feel of Django.

And Fapy may be a "one trick pony" as someone said earlier in this thread, but if he is, it still the best trick in the book.