When it comes to the real roots of jazz guitar, two names clearly standout in the minds of most jazz followers- Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt. While the recordings of the former are few enough in number to make it a somewhat easy task to acquire, the latter’s fairly large body of work poses a challenge in terms of the novice. Add to this the fact that many foreign issues exist and that in addition to his work as a solo artist Reinhardt was also a key member of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France (QHCF). This group was formed in 1932 and included two rhythm guitars, Django’s solo voice, and the violin of the legendary Stephane Grappelli, although several subtle variations of this grouping were offered up in later years.
Django Reinhardt, Joseph Reinhardt, Pierre Ferret, Marcel Bianchi, Louis Gaste, Eugene Vees, Jack Llewelyn, Allan Hodgkiss, Challin Ferret, Jean Ferret- guitar; Stephane Grappelli, Michel Warlop- violin; Andre Lluis, Gerard Leveque, Hubert Rostaing, Christian Wagner- clarinet; Georges Jacquemont, Alix Combelle, Charles Hary- tenor saxophone; Aime Barelli, Pierre Allier, Severin Luino, Christian Bellest, Aime Barelli, Alex Caturegl- trumpet; Maurice Gladieu, Guy Paquinet- trombone; Louis Vola, Eugene d'Hellemmes, Francis Luca, Tony Rovira, Emmanuel Soudieux, Jean Storne, Coleridge Goode, Lucien Simoens, Fred Ermelin- bass; Andre Jourdan, Pierre Fouad, Armand Molinetti, Gaston Leonard, Arthur Motta- drums; Freddy Taylor, Josette Dayde- vocals, Dany Kane- harmonica, Willy Kett- vibes, Jacques Dieval- piano
DISC ONE
1. I’se A Muggin’ 3:04
(Stuff Smith)
2. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love 3:20
(J. McHugh-D. Fields)
3. Oriental Shuffle 2:37
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
4. After You’ve Gone 3:04
(H. Creamer-T. Layton)
5. Are You In The Mood? 2:47
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
6. Limehouse Blues 2:44
(P. Braham-D. Furber)
7. Nagasaki 2:47
(H. Warren-M. Dixon)
8. Swing Guitars 2:23
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
9. Georgia On My Mind 3:11
(H. Carmichael-S. Gorrell)
10. Shine 2:53
(Dabney-Mack-Brown)
11. In The Still Of The Night 3:02
(H. Carmichael-J. Trent)
12. Sweet Chorus 2:42
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
13. Exactly Like You 2:27
(J. McHugh-D. Fields)
14. Charleston 2:50
(C. Mack-J. Johnson)
15. You’re Driving Me Crazy 2:52
(Walter Donaldson)
16. Tears 2:35
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
17. Solitude 3:07
(Ellington-DeLange-Mills)
18. Hot Lips 3:02
(Busse-Lange-Davis)
19. Ain’t Misbehavin’ 2:51
(Razaf-Waller-Brooks)
DISC TWO
1. Rose Room 2:42
(Hickman-H. Williams)
2. Body And Soul 3:24
(Green-Hayman-Sour-Eyton)
3. When Day Is Done 3:10
(Katscher-De Sylva-Ballentine)
4. Runnin’ Wild 2:52
(Wood-Gibbs-Grey)
5. Chicago 3:23
(Fred Fisher)
6. Liebestraum No.3 3:18
(Franz Liszt)
7. Miss Annabelle Lee 2:46
(Clarke-Richman-Pollack)
8. A Little Love, A Little Kiss 3:16
(Ropes-Silesu-Fysher)
9. Mystery Pacific 2:17
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
10. In A Sentimental Mood 2:58
(Ellington-Kurtz-Mills)
11. The Sheik Of Araby 3:03
(Smith-Wheeler-Snyder)
12. I’ve Found A New Baby 2:00
(J. Palmer-S. Williams)
13. Alabamy Bound 2:47
(DeSylva-Brown-Henderson-Green)
14. Improvisation 2:54
(Django Reinhardt)
15. Parfum 2:58
(Django Reinhardt)
16. St. Louis Blues 2:40
(W.C. Handy)
17. Bouncin’ Around 2:42
(Gus Deloof)
18. I’ve Found A New Baby 2:33
(J. Palmer-S. Williams)
19. Brick Top 3:01
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
20. Speevy 2:50
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
DISC THREE
1. Minor Swing 3:13
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
2. Viper’s Dream 3:13
(F. Allen)
3. Swingin’ With Django 2:48
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
4. Paramount Stomp 2:34
(Reinhardt-Grappelli-Romans)
5. Bolero 4:01
(Django Reinhardt)
6. Bolero (alternate take) 3:56
(Django Reinhardt)
7. Mabel (alternate take) 4:01
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
8. Mabel 4:08
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
9. My Serenade 2:59
(Django Reinhardt)
10. You Rascal You 3:03
(Sam Theard)
11. Stephen’s Blues 3:14
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
12. Sugar 3:01
(Pinkard-Mitchell-Alexander)
13. Sweet Georgia Brown 3:14
(Bernie-Pinkard-Casey)
14. Tea For Two 2:47
(I. Caesar-V. Youmans)
15. Stockholm 2:45
(Django Reinhardt)
16. Younger Generation 2:22
(Noel Coward)
17. I’ll See You In My Dreams 2:29
(I. Jones-G. Kahn)
18. Echoes Of Spain 3:05
(Django Reinhardt)
19. Out Of Nowhere 3:13
(J. Green-E. Heyman)
20. Baby 2:35
(J. McHugh-D. Fields)
21. Naguine 2:25
(Django Reinhardt)
DISC FOUR
1. Nuages 3:16
(Django Reinhardt)
2. Rhythm Futur 2:37
(Django Reinhardt)
3. Begin The Beguine 2:50
(Cole Porter)
4. Blues 3:06
(Django Reinhardt)
5. Coucou 2:39
(A. Mathas-Feline)
6. Indecision (Undecided) 3:01
(Charlie Shavers)
7. Swing 41 3:05
(Django Reinhardt)
8. Nuages 3:15
(Django Reinhardt)
9. Pour Vous (Exactly Like You) 3:05
(Django Reinhardt)
10. Fantaisie Sur Une Danse Norvegienne 2:30
(Edvard Grieg)
11. Vendredi 13 3:01
(Django Reinhardt)
12. Liebesfreud 2:37
(Fritz Kreisler)
13. Mabel 3:16
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
14. Petits Mensonges (Little White Lies) 3:14
(Walter Donaldson)
15. Les Yeux Noirs (Dark Eyes) 2:12
(trad.)
16. Sweet Sue, Just You 2:48
(V. Young-W. Harris)
17. Swing De Paris 3:00
(Django Reinhardt)
18. Oiseaux Des Iles 2:48
(Django Reinhardt)
19. All Of Me 2:46
(G. Marks-S. Simons)
DISC FIVE
1. Festival Swing 4:07
(A. Combelle-F. Combelle)
2. Dinette 2:48
(Django Reinhardt)
3. Crepuscule 2:58
(D. Reinhardt-F. Blanche)
4. Swing 42 2:45
(D. Reinhardt-Riesner)
5. Festival Swing 1942, Part Two 3:38
(Hubert Rostaing)
6. Belleville 2:29
(Django Reinhardt)
7. Lentement Mademoiselle 3:15
(Django Reinhardt)
8. Douce Ambiance 2:17
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
9. Manoir De Mes Reves 3:17
(Django Reinhardt)
10. Oui 2:06
(A. Combelle-L. Gaste)
11. Cavalerie 2:33
(Django Reinhardt)
12. Fleur D’Ennui 2:30
(D. Reinhardt-F. Blanche)
13. Blues Clair 3:00
(Django Reinhardt)
14. Improvisation No. 3-Part 1 2:59
(Django Reinhardt)
15. Improvisation No. 3-Part 2 2:44
(Django Reinhardt)
16. Coquette 3:00
(Lombardo-Green-Kahn)
17. Django’s Tiger 2:35
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
18. Embraceable You 3:06
(G. & I. Gershwin)
19. Echoes Of France 2:44
(Rouget de I’lsle)
DISC SIX
1. Swingtime In Springtime 2:50
(Django Reinhardt)
2. Yours And Mine 2:54
(A. Freed-N. Brown)
3. On The Sunny Side Of The Street 2:46
(D. Fields-J. McHugh)
4. I Won’t Dance 2:50
(Kern-Fields-McHugh-Harbach-Hammerstein)
5. R-Vingt-Six 2:27
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
6. How High The Moon 2:29
(N. Hamilton-M. Lewis)
7. Lover Man 3:12
(Davis-Ramirez-Sherman)
8. Blue Lou 2:16
(E. Sampson-I. Mills)
9. Blues 2:35
(Django Reinhardt)
10. What Is This Thing Called Love? 2:10
(Cole Porter)
11. Ol’ Man River 2:40
(J. Kern-O. Hammerstein)
12. Si Tu Savais 2:45
(Ulmer-Antoni-Salvet)
13. Eveline 2:15
(Stephane Grappelli)
14. Diminushing 3:18
(Django Reinhardt)
15. Mike 2:47
(Django Reinhardt)
16. Oh, Lady Be Good 2:56
(G. & I. Gershwin)
17. Festival 48 2:36
(Django Reinhardt)
18. Fantaisie 2:51
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
19. Brick Top 3:03
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
20. Just For Fun 3:05
(D. Reinhardt-S. Grappelli)
21. To Each His Own/Symphonie 3:02
(R. Evans-J. Livingston/A. Alstone-J. Lawrence)
