Webster-who was he?

rimm

Anyone able to shed some light on this one? I have narrowed it down to two that I can think of-Freddy Webster who played with Dizzy or Ben Webster-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUM1jxoF ... re=related



Obviously had a profound effect on Django if he wrote a tune for him?

brandoneon

The 'Complete Django' book by Jean-Philippe Watremez and Max Robin introduces 'Webster' by saying it is not named after the saxophonist, but rather a brand of tape recorder that Django had bought during that period (1948-1949?). The tape recorder probably still had a profound effect on Django.

rimm

Thanks so much for that!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ9MAysu ... r_embedded
and heres one in action 8)

Svanis1337

Brandoneon is correct. Django needed a name for his composition so he chose Webster.

Django recorded his 1948 Brussels concert with his Webster. He might have recorded much more, including jams, improvisations, and unpublished compositions shortly before his death, but these haven't been found, or they were burned for his funeral.

All Django's compositions with unusual names usually have a backstory. Feel free to ask. A lot of the answers are actually already on these very forums. Including the question about Webster.

I'll give two examples:

R-26:

I found this photo a while ago, and it was taken at Jacotte Perrier's apartment, sometime before the outbreak of the war presumably:



Jacotte has been living in this apartment for 80 years. Previously, Alain Antonietto and Mitch (on these forums) had interviewed Jacotte Perrier in this very apartment. It's at the top of Montmartre, Place Marcel Aimé on the 6:th floor. It's only 20 minutes from Gen Paul's workshop.

She explained to Mitch and Alain that "R" stands for Robert, Jacotte's father, and "26" is the number of the place he used to live before renting the flat in Montmartre. As you saw in the photo earlier, there is an unknown pianist, and Stéphane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, Joseph Reinhardt and Louis Vola are leaning against the piano. The pianist could be Robert, but I'm not sure.

This is the view from the balcony of the apartment:



Bricktop:

You might find more info on this on the web, but a long story short:

"Bricktop" was the nickname of a fat, black woman who owned a place called the "Bricktop Cabaret" where Django played on several occasions. There is an acetate from "The First Anniversary Session of the Saturday Night Swing Club" CBS Broadcast on June 13, 1937 where the Quintet plays Djangology, Limehouse Blues and Break Up[sic] (Bricktop). This is available on the CD with the same name, along with all the other tunes from that session by other musicians, and also on Frémaux Intégrale Vol. 6. This Broadcast occured in the US, and the QHCF was transmitted live onto the broadcast via short wave, with an American announcer on the spot. (Edward R. Murrow). The broadcast was not recorded in the US, however. It was picked up and recorded in the United Kingdom. Amazing, huh? It is rumoured this session was the one where Django refused to play at first, because they announced Stéphane Grappelli before Django. He was quickly convinced to stay, however, and started playing.

The quality of this recoding isn't the best, and if it was picked up in the UK, one wonders what the quality would have been like in the US. Perhaps the UK picked up the entire broadcast, and not the short wave transmit from France seperately, or perhaps they did, and the quality in the US was atrocious. Maybe someone with more knowledge of radio could give us their opinion.

ViperMad77

Svanis1337 wrote:

Django recorded his 1948 Brussels concert with his Webster. He might have recorded much more, including jams, improvisations, and unpublished compositions ...

wow.. it is inspiring to think of Django utilizing the latest audio rec. technology of his day.

Mitch

and sad to think it has been burnt with the rest of his stuff when he died... with his personnal recordings...

Svanis1337

I don't know if that's actually true or not. It might just be a rumor. But the last known recording he ever made is still unissued, and may be found and issued in the future. It's: "Deccaphonie", take 2!

The private recordings Django made of "Tiger Rag", "After you've gone" and "Confessin'" with Joseph Reinhardt (Rhythm) and Juan Fernandez (Bass) from August 1934 were found and issued. This was presumably recorded at a recording booth, but I doubt that and I don't know the source of this claim. Also found and issued was Django's recording of his December 1948 Brussels concert. Of course the private recordings Jean Sablon and Django and Naguine made were found and issued too. But Sablon wasn't a Gypsy, so that wouldn't have gotten burnt anyway.

It's possible he recorded more. The fabled "Verlaine" and "Premier Rendez-Vous" disc would prove this.

Another private recording which may or may not have been recorded by Django are the tunes "Artillerie Lourde" and "Good Morning Blues" from a concert dated February 25, 1945. (Not the A.T.C Band.)