Django, Baro, and Gangsters

Jazzaferri

Somehow, given the places he played and the fact that he was a viper all his life, I can't see ciggy smoke bugging him that much

Teddy Dupont

Despite a lot of attempts to contact people who may have some new information, we seem to have reached a dead end in finding out anymore about Baro's actitivites and the individuals in the bar opening photographs. However, below I have hopefully summerised the new information that has been confirmed or is pretty certain since I wrote the article.

1. The "Jean" who appears in all the bar opening photos is Jean Laplace who was co-owner of the bar with Baro. We do not know whether Laplace was simply a businessman investing in a bar or a dodgy businessman investing in a dodgy bar or worse.

2. The bar is almost certainly La Bar Baro that later became the notorious "Bar des Canards" but I have found no indications that Baro was involved in the latter.

3. I am convinced, although there is only limited photo evidence available, that the man far right in Photo 2 is Pierre Cucurru (CUC), a major figure in the Corsican mafia in Paris who was murdered in 1954. It is possible he is also the man second from the right behind Baro in Photo 1 but I am less certain of that.

4. Again although there is limited photo evidence, I believe the man fourth from the left behind Sarane Ferret in Photo 1 and third from the right in Photo 2 is the drummer and comedian Jean-Baptiste "Mac Kac" Reilles. He was photographed with Django at the "Moulin de la Galette" in 1942.

5. Baro had lots of children, at least one of whom is still alive.

There is nothing dramatically new there but it does help build up a better picture of Baro Ferret and his activities.

I have recently been trying to contact Freddie Knoller who has written a book where he claims he worked as a pimp in the Pigalle area during the early part of the war before he was sent to a concentration camp. I wondered if there was any chance he had any info about Baro.

Jazzaferri

Thanks Teddy. Succinctly summarized. Hope you can find and interview Mr Knoller

Teddy Dupont

The other thing that emerged is, for as while, Baro was almost certainly a "Juge de Paix": someone who mediated between the various underworld factions/gangs and perhaps even "worked" with local police and politicians. This was a very significant role in the underworld.

Jazzaferri

That is a very interesting side to Baro. New to me but upon reflection, from what little I know, seems to fit his personality. I imagine he got some practice with Django and Joseph too.

François RAVEZ

Don't give up Teddy/Roger,

Some day you will find a very very old man who will say : "of course this is Gusti Malha in the foreground".

Best

François

Teddy Dupont

François RAVEZ wrote: »

Don't give up Teddy/Roger,

Some day you will find a very very old man who will say : "of course this is Gusti Malha in the foreground".

Best

François

) >-

Teddy Dupont

Jazzaferri wrote: »

That is a very interesting side to Baro. New to me but upon reflection, from what little I know, seems to fit his personality. I imagine he got some practice with Django and Joseph too.

Even more between Django and Steph although Louis Vola claims to have been the peacemaker there until he got sick of it and left the group. No doubt the fact that Django and Steph never paid their sidemen much money was another reason for his departure as was the case with Roger Chaput.

A quote from Louis Vola about the Quintette playing in cabaret and Grappelli taking lots of choruses and irritating Django - “Sometimes Django would get so mad he’d drop his guitar and go across the street for a drink and then I’d have to go after him to fetch him back”.

And a quote from Steph at a time when he was obviously feeling rather negative towards Django - “What troubles he (Django) gave me. I think now I would rather play with lesser musicians and have a peaceable time than with Django and his monkey business”. Grappelli did tend to change he attitude over the years and shortly before he died said ".... if I ever had a friend, it was Django". Perhaps the latter in reality being the rose-tinted memories of an old man.

Jazzaferri

Perhaps it is the rose glasses. Perhaps, like men who have been in war, saying it was the best time in their lives (and at times the worst) , Stephan is reflecting on how incredibly good it was when it was good.

Teddy Dupont

Although I love the music of Django Reinhardt and find his character endlessly fascinating, I have great of sympathy with Stephane Grappelli and Charles Delaunay for the way Django messed them about. In all honesty, if we remove those rose tinted glasses, he was a pretty feckless guy and did what he wanted when he wanted to do it regardless of how it affected others. I do not believe that was just because he was a gypsy. There is no indication the other gypsy guitarists at the time behaved as he did. I have just been re-reading an interview with James Jones who wrote "From Here To Eternity" and went to France in 1958 specifically to do research for a novel based on Reinhardt. He spoke to a lot of Django's friends and people who had known him well and got totally disparate views. Some said he was a wonderful if rather odd guy and others thought he was an irresponsible git. :-$ Whichever was true, it does not change the fact that he was a musical genius. ^:)^