Django and Sidney...

harlemjoys

Just wondering if anyone has any insight on these two incredible jazzmen. I recently read the Dregni bio and he didn't really touch upon what Django and Sidney Bechet thought about each other and why they never recorded together (or did they? please correct me if I'm wrong). I'm surprised that this never happened since Bechet was in France so often and ended up retiring there.

Alex

François RAVEZ

That is a very interesting question. I was wondering too if there was any link between them, but I never did find anything on the subject.
I remember they used to sell a long time ago a LP called Django Reinhardt and Sidney Béchet, which was somehow misleading because unfortunately it was just one side for Django and the other for Béchet.
I suspect that Django was probably a bit jealous of Sidney Béchet, because in France, Sydney's star was rising when Django's own popularity was no longer at the top. Delaunay was managing Sidney Béchet after Django.
Michael Dregnis speaks of a jazz festival in Paris organized by Delaunay where Django could have played but where he did not go. Sidney was present too (Charly Parker and Miles Davis too).
I know that Sidney Béchet recorded 'Nuages', but I was always surprised (and disappointed) that Django never recorded 'Petite Fleur' (and I don't even know if he ever played it).
When Django was reconsidering his playing and starting over exploring the bebop, Sidney Béchet was very popular and was making a lot of money playing New Orleans revival music, which was more traditional than progressive.

Best

François RAVEZ

Jack

François RAVEZ wrote:

I remember they used to sell a long time ago a LP called Django Reinhardt and Sidney Béchet, which was somehow misleading because unfortunately it was just one side for Django and the other for Béchet.

Ha...that was one of the very first "Django" albums I bought...I was really into Bechet at the time, and was terribly disappointed...

François RAVEZ wrote:

I know that Sidney Béchet recorded 'Nuages', but I was always surprised (and disappointed) that Django never recorded 'Petite Fleur' (and I don't even know if he ever played it).

At least we have Matelot's and Tchan Tchou's versions! Interesting to play them one after the other; they're such different takes on the tune.

best,
Jack.

harlemjoys

Thanks for the responses. The thing that perplexes me is that Bechet already a had a legendary reputation in the Jazz world by the late 20's because of his tours with Josephine Baker and his recordings with Louis Armstrong and the Red Onion Jazz Babies. We know that Django was a huge fan of Louis because he heard some of his records in the early 30's. Perhaps he never heard Bechet's records until after he had began to make his mark on the jazz world and began to view Bechet as competition? Perhaps he never liked Bechet's sound? I tend to think it might be the former since I feel that that Django is one of the few famous jazz men who used vibrato as incessantly as Bechet. In any case I guess I can just dream of what an amazing session it would have been if they ever got together and recorded.

Alex