Django's last Be-Bop sessions reissued on vinyl and stream - Available today in the US

Mitch · October 4

Hi Everybody,

I was discussing with Michael who doesn't sell records anymore on the site and advised me to post something because this might interest some of you folks.

It's out today in record stores or on streaming platforms. I was lucky to coordinate the production of this compilation for Decca records that features the 3 last recording sessions of Django (Decca and Blue Star).

Available in USA, France, Nederlands, Belgique, Deutschland, Österreich, New-Zealand, Italia, Grèce Ελλάδα, Suisse, Canada, Polska, Taiwan 臺灣

Please enquire at your local store if not available yet with the product code : 653 395-2 (or complete barcode 602465339529).

This record is a great way to enjoy Django's Be-bop recordings without having to find the rare and expensive Blue Star/Clef "The great artistry of Django Reinhardt" or the Decca original 78rpms.

Michel

* * * *

From café terraces to musette ballrooms, jazz clubs to the most prestigious stages in Europe and America, Django Reinhardt has never ceased to dazzle the world with his guitar.

Although less familiar to the general audience, the tracks gathered and remastered here are among the finest proofs of the guitarist’s genius and extraordinary adaptability, probably the only jazzman to have evolved so brilliantly from swing to be-bop without ever compromising his artistic identity.

Backed by the first generation of French boppers, benefiting from modern recording techniques and a perfectly mastered amplified guitar sound, Django Reinhardt reached his peak as an improviser, virtuoso and composer : personal explorations of the blues (Deccaphonie), avant-garde compositions (Anouman), bop interpretations standards (Fine and Dandy, Crazy Rhythm...), french songs (Le soir, Chez moi...) and his own standards like Nuages or Manoir de mes rêves which are masterpieces.

Glory was once again reaching out to him thanks to the Blue Star sessions of March 1953, produced by Eddie Barclay at the request of Norman Granz who wanted to invite him to the USA to join the legendary Jazz at the Philharmonic tours. Alas, he will pass away shortly after these recordings at 43.

Phil · October 4

Fine and Dandy sounds like Patrick Saussois!

Buco · October 4

Listening now on Spotify, I'll try to find a vinyl locally. So this compilation is a reissue? Has it been remastered? It sounds good over the headphones.

Jojo · October 13

Just listened to Deccaphonie from this and thought ‘great piano solo’. Rooting around and found it’s by Martial Solal who is now 97!

Is he the last person alive to have played with Django? And is there any interviews about his time with him?

Thanks in advance

Svanis1337 · October 26

@Jojo Martial Solal said in an interview he was very nervous to play with a legend like Django and had never dared to listen to the recordings.

Jojo · November 5

Thanks @Svanis1337 ! Nice for the present to be connected to the past. Yes, of course, he would be nervous as Django was already established and 17 years older than Martial

Mitch · November 15

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/118432#Comment_118432

Maybe rather the other way around :-)

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/118434#Comment_118434

Hi Buco, yes it's been remastered and Blue Star + Decca sessiosn have been put together on this compilation.

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/118467#Comment_118467

Indeed I think he's the last. I just read his autobiography, Django's name is just mentionned 2 or 3 times (as if he was an inevitable boss figure at that time) but nothing about this session :-( He just says he could hear some be-bop notes in his playing (or was it from another source, I don't remember).

criminel · December 4

Hi there.

is there any improvement over the Bayard "Le dernier Django" box set editions on CD?

voutoreenie · December 4

Can't answer that but I can say I and got to listen to the vinyl through a high end McIntosh into Klipsch uprights and it sounded incredible; that said, I do wish there was a CD release as well to compare directly with previous releases.

Buco · December 4

As if there's anything but high-end McIntosh lol. Which Klipsch, one of their classics or something modern? That must've been a sweet experience.

voutoreenie · December 4

Haha true true, Buco! This was through my Dad's setup and his vintage tube McIntosh has a hum no one has been able to fix/figure out so he sold a bunch of gear, went all out to get a new one and I have to admit, living in the age of technology is pretty great. And yeah, vintage Klipsch and he actually has 4, 2 that he bought back in the day and another 2 he picked up in the 90s for super cheap at a now-closed local audio store that had a ton of great used gear way back in the good ol' days before eBay...had a lot of fun as a kid going out to look for audio gear with him (he's also got like 3-4 Fishers as well from those days, one of which is now mine!)

e: should add I'm not nearly as much of an audiophile so that's about the extent of what I know offhand in terms of his setup