"He did more for the guitar than any other man in jazz. His way of playing was unlike anyone else's, and jazz is different because of him. There can be many other fine guitarists, but never can there be another Reinhardt." -- Stéphane Grappelly
“Django: the guitar with a human voice.” -- Jean Cocteau
The greatest of the European jazz bands, La Quintette du Hot Club de France, emerged in 1933 from a series of backstage entre-acte jam sessions by 4 members of the house band at Le Claridge Champs-Elysées: Romani jazz guitar genius Django Reinhardt, and the great Parisian jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelly, rhythm guitarist Roger Chaput, and bassist Louis Vola. Concert promoters Pierre Nourry and Charles Delaunay, who were co-founders with Hugues Panassié of the French jazz appreciation society, Le Hot Club du France, urged the group on, convinced a new record company, Ultrasound, to record it, and gypsy jazz, France’s unique, hugely influential contribution to jazz was born. Tonight, the phenomenal jazz guitarists Howard Alden and Bucky Pizzarelli and jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein are featured playing Reinhart’s most famous compositions. The evening will close with three songs from a true meeting of jazz giants—a 1937 record date with Django, Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins.
| Nuages (1940) Django Reinhardt (m) |
| Dinette (1940) Django Reinhardt (m) |
| Minor Swing (1937) Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli (m) |
| Swing 42 (1941) Django Reinhardt (m) |
| Tears (1937) Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli (m) |
| Bricktop (1937) Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli (m) |
| | Undecided (1938) Sid Robin (w) Charlie Shavers (m) |
| | Crazy Rhythm (1928) Here's Howe Irving Caesar (w) Joseph Meyer, Roger Wolfe Kahn (m) |