Django, Baro, and Gangsters

DjangoBooks

Django’s Pictorial Legacy: The TWA Photos

By Roger Baxter There is no reason to believe that Django Reinhardt was a particularly unlawful individual. We do know that he boasted of teaching Babik to shoplift and according to Stephane Grappelli, he was very adept at catching and wringing the necks of chickens on country walks, but these could leniently be considered only relatively minor misdemeanours. He was much too interested in music, women and gambling to be heavily involved in any major criminal activity although it has been claimed that he often cheated at billiards and cards. Despite such indiscretions, I do not think he should be viewed as a thief in the classic sense but more a somewhat eccentric man whose upbringing gave him a very flexible attitude to possessions.

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MichaelHorowitz

You couldn't make this up, Baro and the musette mafia would give the Sopranos a run for their money!

pickitjohn

Great read and pictures Thanks for the post @MichaelHorowitz

pick on

pickitjohn :peace:

MichaelHorowitz

@pickitjohn don't thank me, thank Roger who wrote the piece and selected the photos.

spatzo

Excellent!

Teddy Dupont

Thanks Spatzo. Not sure whether the lack of comments means a lack of interest.

Buco

Oh I doubt it. I myself just didn't have the time yet to read a lengthy article. But I have an itch to do so and can't wait.

Svanis1337

Fantastic article. I read it all of course. I think it's spot on. Maybe it's time to write a new book on Django & C:o? :peace:

Teddy Dupont

Thanks Svanis. Glad you enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing this one. Initially it was only going to be about the three Baro opening photos and it grew.

MichaelHorowitz

Teddy Dupont wrote: »

Thanks Spatzo. Not sure whether the lack of comments means a lack of interest.

The announcement of your blog post reached over 500 people on Facebook in a day which is the most I've ever seen. It will also be announced in the DjangoBooks monthly email which goes out to nearly 20,000 people. Don't worry, it's getting plenty of views! I think we'll get more feedback over the coming weeks. thanks again for submitting it....

Teddy Dupont

Ted Gottsegen wrote: »

Roger, thanks for this great article!

Thanks Ted.

Ted Gottsegen wrote: »

To attest to Baro's (at times) frightening demeanor, most people are aware that Jacques Montagne was apart of Baro's organizations and took them over when Baro died at his home in Clichy (this was confirmed by a member of the family). A friend of Jacques' told me once that he got really angry one night, turned to this person and said 'I can take you with my friends and kill you. You wouldn't be able to stop me and no one could do anything about it'. This was made to a friend so imagine what the response would've been to someone who wasn't......

Indeed! I have heard some really scary stories about Baro but I decided to underplay his character in the article a little to avoid any accusations of sensationalism but there is no doubt he was a very, very tough cookie who you crossed at your peril.

Francois Ravez has done a lot of work on Baro's various bars and what subsequently happened to them that I did not include in the article. I'll ask him to post it here.