DJANGO REINHARDT: The Chronological Classics 1938 - 1939

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Tracklist 1938 - 1939
01 - 0:00:00 Them There Eyes
02 - 0:03:04 Three Little Words
03 - 0:05:59 Appel Direct
04 - 0:09:02 The Flat Foot Floogie
05 - 0:11:59 Lambeth Walk
06 - 0:14:48 Why Should I Care?
07 - 0:17:39 I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
08 - 0:20:10 Please Be Kind
09 - 0:22:56 Louise
10 - 0:25:34 Improvisation No. 2
11 - 0:28:16 Hungaria
12 - 0:31:05 Jeepers Creepers
13 - 0:34:23 Swing 39
14 - 0:37:44 Japanese Sandman
15 - 0:40:26 I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight?
16 - 0:43:30 Tea For Two
17 - 0:46:20 My Melancholy Baby
18 - 0:49:47 Time On My Hands
19 - 0:52:30 Twelfth Year
20 - 0:55:12 Montmartre
21 - 0:57:37 Low Cotton
22 - 1:00:39 Finesse
23 - 1:03:01 I Know That You Know
24 - 1:05:34 Solid Old Man

DJANGO REINHARDT: The Chronological Classics 1938 - 1939

At the height of its popularity, in the summer of 1938 the Quintet of the Hot Club of France was appearing regularly at the "Chez Florence" in Paris. In August, the group set off on a four-month concert tour of Great Britain, which included an appearance at the London Palladium on the same bill as stage-cowboy Tom Mix! Some weeks after retuming to Paris for a few engagements, the Quintet again departed on tour, now playing for the first time in Scandinavia.

Jean Baptiste "Django" Reinhardt was born in Liverchies, Belgium on January 23, 1910. Even as a child. he played violin, banjo and guitar. In the years Following World War 1. Django played with various bands in and around Paris. On November 2. 1928, his career seemed to have come to a premature end when his caravan went up in flames, seriously burning his left hand. After several operations and more than a year in hospital, he was able to play guitar again. Although two Fingers of his left hand remained permanently paralyzed. He continued working with today mostly forgotten musicians, but then began an association with singer Jean Sablon, who used him as accompanist on several recording-sessions. By now, he was enjoying increasing contacts with jazz and hot-dance musicians, and was beginning to record regularly with some of the best French bands, notably those led by Michel Warlop and Guy "Patrick" Paquinet. Django's fame grew rapidly as a result of the first sessions by the "Quintet of the Hot Club of France", and by the late thirties all visiting American Jazz musicians were eagerly seeking the opportunity to record with him. His musical companion Stephane Grappelly spent the war years in England, whereas Django decided to remain in occupied France. Despite the persecution of gypsies, he was able to continue playing and recording. After the Liberation. he was still very much in favour with visiting American musicians, and in 1946 he even went to America to play with the Duke Ellington orchestra. That same year also brought a joyful reunion with Grappelly. Django continued playing and recording, but gradually disappeared from the scene in the late forties. Django Reinhardt died in Samois, east of Paris. on May 16, 1953.

The present CD opens with the remaining sides of a a mid June 1938 session held in Paris. After recording lots of material in London earlier that year, the Quintet retumed to the Decca studios in the British capital during their very successful tour. Slim Gaillard's and Slam Stewart's "Flat Foot Floogie", recorded in February 1938, was also a hit in Europe that summer but, as this version proves, remained unconvincing unless played by Slim and Slam. Incredibly, "Lambeth Walk", an even more popular dance-number of the day, swings! It was even recorded by the Duke Ellington Orchestra that same month (see Classics 726). Django took the opportunity to express himself more freely in some duets with Stephane Grappelly at the piano. "Improvisation no.2" is another most inspired solo by Django Reinhardt, although without connection to his former "improvisation" of 1937. An excellent series of recordings by the full Quintet of the HCF, with masterpieces such as "Twelfth Year" or "Jeepers Creepers" is followed by the first three sides from one of the most important sessions in pre-war France, at which a Rex Stewart small group cut music that is simply breathtaking. These marvellous performances belong, without doubt, to the very best records ever made by either Rex Stewart or Django Reinhardt. To be continued...

Anatol Schenker, September 1994

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