Saturday 21 February 2015

25. The Quintessential Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grapelli. 1934 - 1940

Quintette du Hot Club de France: 25 Classics 1934-1940

Click here for my original blog post looking at Django and Stephane

While Swing was becoming the big big thing in the USA in the mid 1930's there was another, perhaps more experimental, brand of jazz that was beginning to take shape on the other side of the pond. The music produced by the Quintette Du Hot Club De Jazz would significantly alter the future of jazz and music in general, especially the direction of the guitar.

The Quintette produced an absolute plethora of recordings during this period but an album like this concisely showcases the main songs that serve as a wonderful introduction to the world of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli. They are all here. Dinah, Tiger Rag, Djangology, Honeysuckle Rose (with Coleman Hawkins dipping his toes into experimental waters), and Nuages to name but a few.


1. Dinah

2. Oh, Lady Be Good

3. I Saw Stars

4. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)

5. I've Had My Moments

6. Djangology

7. St. Louis Blues

8. Limehouse Blues

9. I Got Rhythm

10. I've Found a New Baby

11. After You've Gone

12. Nagasaki

13. Swing Guitars

14. Charleston

15. You're Driving Me Crazy

16. Runnin' Wild

17. Improvisation

18. Minor Swing

19. Honeysuckle Rose

20. Sweet Georgia Brown

21. Night and Day

22. Daphné

23. Them There Eyes

24. I'll See You In My Dreams

25.Nuages