Django's most inspired year?

harlemjoys

What does everyone think?

My pick is 1937 because of the following amazing songs...

Minor Swing
When Day is Done
Mystery Pacific
Bouncin' Around
Rose Room

pinkgary

It's gotta be '37 for me as well. For:

When Day is Done
Body & Soul
Liebestraum no 3
Bolero
Impro 1
& Parfum.

Spalo

1947 - masters the electric guitar and soloing on fire all year!

Controversial?

SP

Spalo

1947 - masters the electric guitar and soloing on fire all year!

Controversial?

SP

frater

It depends from what one means by "inspiration". Guitarwise, the level of proficiency he had attained in the Rome sessions (1949) is hard to beat..

MichaelHorowitz

I'd have to agree with Frater...for me the Rome sessions were the pinnacle of Django's playing.

Spalo

I never got on with the Rome sessions but, then again, I haven't really listened to them for years.

Time to get out the 'Integrale' CD's again, maybe.

SP

Tele295

I'm really getting into the 50-53 period. Anouman - 'nuf said

Craig Bumgarner

It's interesting how people react to the Rome sessions. I personally agree with Frater and Michael that this period is amongst Django's best, but I've talked with others whose opinions I respect who feel these sessions somehow reveal a Django past his prime. Interestingly, they too seem to favor the late 30s period.

To me, Django's playing is perhaps less frenetic in the late 40s and more mature, but this is not to be confused with less inspired. The 1949 Djangology is a good example. The drive in Django's comping and sophistication of his solo sets this recording on fire. He and Stephane play the last chorus together with abandon, riff after riff, pure joy. Django's tone is fantastic as is Stephane's and the piano adds a very modern sound, for the time at least.

Craig

frater

Speaking of the Rome Sessions, to me what Django did on "Ou es tu mon amour" remains a Mystery of Faith. Not just the solo and the comping, simply stellar stuff, but the arrangements ideas he came out with on the spot (like the "moving" ostinato before the end). Supernatural...

Spalo

Well, I listened to the Rome sessions again over the weekend and I still have a problem with them.

To me Django seems listless, hesitant and, dare I say, it uninspired most of the time. I seem to have heard a lot of the licks before in one form or another and played better. I agree his comping is interesting and powerful but the soloing is lacking something for me.

I think the sessions without Grapelli where he plays electric are a lot better, more fluent.

And then I think: how can I criticise a bona fide genius - someone who's given me more pleasure than any other musician?

More in sorrow than anger,

SP