Comments

• pinkgary ✭✭✭

  March 2009 Posts: 282

  It's gotta be '37 for me as well. For:
  
  When Day is Done
  Body & Soul
  Liebestraum no 3
  Bolero
  Impro 1
  & Parfum.
• Spalo England✭✭✭✭ Manouche Guitars "Modele Jazz Moreno" No.116, 1980's Saga Blueridge "Macaferri 500", Maton 1960's Semi, Fender Telecaster, Aria FA65 Archtop

  June 2009 Posts: 186

  1947 - masters the electric guitar and soloing on fire all year!
  
  Controversial?
  
  SP
• Spalo England✭✭✭✭ Manouche Guitars "Modele Jazz Moreno" No.116, 1980's Saga Blueridge "Macaferri 500", Maton 1960's Semi, Fender Telecaster, Aria FA65 Archtop

  June 2009 Posts: 186

  1947 - masters the electric guitar and soloing on fire all year!
  
  Controversial?
  
  SP
• frater Prodigy

  June 2009 Posts: 763

  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 SeattleAdministrator

  June 2009 Posts: 6,153

  I'd have to agree with Frater...for me the Rome sessions were the pinnacle of Django's playing.
• Spalo England✭✭✭✭ Manouche Guitars "Modele Jazz Moreno" No.116, 1980's Saga Blueridge "Macaferri 500", Maton 1960's Semi, Fender Telecaster, Aria FA65 Archtop

  June 2009 Posts: 186

  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 San Buenaventura (Latcho Drom), CA✭✭✭ Gitane DG300, D500

  June 2009 Posts: 629

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

  Jill Martini Soiree - Gypsy Swing & Cocktail Jazz
  http://www.jillmartinisoiree.com
• Craig Bumgarner Drayden, MarylandVirtuoso Bumgarner S/N 001

  June 2009 Posts: 795

  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

  Bumgarner Guitar Blog
• frater Prodigy

  June 2009 Posts: 763

  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 England✭✭✭✭ Manouche Guitars "Modele Jazz Moreno" No.116, 1980's Saga Blueridge "Macaferri 500", Maton 1960's Semi, Fender Telecaster, Aria FA65 Archtop

  June 2009 Posts: 186

  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