1 CD |
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Label Magic Ball Jazz Records |
UPC 0608917460827 |
Catalogue number CD 74608 |
Release date 21 December 2018 |
"The surprise in the gipsy-jazz genre is not in the repertoire, which usually consists of Reinhardt compositions and known standards. The magic of the game of Beets and Rosenberg makes this recording extra special."
Jazzenzo, 10-2-2019There is true musical chemistry between these four artists, two leading figures from the world of gypsy jazz and two internationally recognized giants of mainstream jazz. The music on this album is the result of long-time friendships between all four of the players. It’s a fantastic encounter and amalgamation of two worlds, both characterized by improvisation, interaction, musical dedication, true feeling and pure joy!
Born in Belgium on January 23, 1910, Django Reinhardt learned guitar at an early age, adapting his technique to accommodate the loss of the use of two fingers burned in a caravan fire in 1928. Reinhardt toured the United States with Duke Ellington in 1946. He was one of the first important guitar soloists in jazz; his blend of swing and the Roma musical tradition, as well as his unconventional technique, made him a unique and legendary figure. Reinhardt died in France in 1953.
Born on January 23, 1910, in Liberchies, Belgium, Django Reinhardt became famous for his unique musical sound, which blended elements of American jazz with traditional European and Roma music. Reinhardt's father was a musician and entertainer and his mother was a dancer, according to some reports; they were Manouches, or French gypsies, and they eventually settled in a camp near Paris. Raised without any formal schooling, Reinhardt was practically illiterate.
In his youth, Reinhardt learned to play an interesting instrument—a hybrid of a guitar and a banjo. He was largely self-taught, never learning how to write or read music. Later on, Reinhardt had to depend on others to transcribe his compositions. He was already playing in clubs in Paris by his early teens. Reinhardt started out playing popular French music, but he became interested in American jazz in the mid-1920s. He especially liked the works of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Joe Venuti. His promising career, however, was almost ended by a terrible accident in 1928.
In 1928, Reinhardt was injured in a fire in his caravan. A lit candle fell into some paper, or celluloid, flowers that his wife had made to sell, and the flames quickly spread throughout their home. Both Reinhardt and his wife made it out of the fire, but Reinhardt suffered bad burns to his right leg and left hand. Perhaps worst of all for this talented musician, he permanently lost the use of two fingers on his damaged hand. He would spend the next 18 months to two years recuperating.
During this time, Reinhardt taught himself how to play music again. It was a slow, painful process, but he devised an innovative style of guitar playing. With his two fingers and thumb, Reinhardt handled his instrument with remarkable speed and agility. He was back to dazzling audiences in the Paris nightclubs by 1930.
Famous Quintet
By the mid-1930s, Reinhardt had joined forces with violinist Stephane Grappelli to form the Quintet of the Hot Club of France (Quintette du Hot Club de France). Their group, which grew to include Reinhardt's brother Joseph and others, became the first major European jazz band. Some of the band's early recordings included covers of American songs like "Dinah" and "Lady Be Good," and these tracks helped win them a following on both sides of the Atlantic.
Reinhardt also produced original music, which fused his musical heritage with the latest jazz and swing sounds. Some of his most famous works with the quintet are "Djangology," "Bricktop" and "Swing 39." His style from this period has been called "gypsy swing" and "le jazz hot."
The surprise in the gipsy-jazz genre is not in the repertoire, which usually consists of Reinhardt compositions and known standards. The magic of the game of Beets and Rosenberg makes this recording extra special.
Jazzenzo, 10-2-2019
This Dutch quartet gives its own, beautiful performance that is extra striking because of the sublime recording.
De Nieuwe Muze, 31-1-2019
Gypsy jazz, Django music or the music of the Rosenberg Trio, it is all supposed to be known, always swinging and virtuoso.
Rootstime, 30-1-2019
Recorded live in the Ruïnekerk in Bergen {Noord-Holland} this CD is the best medicine against depression of any kind.
Jazzflits, 30-1-2019