- Django Reinhardt ranks even yet as amongst the most creative of European jazz musicians.
- Reinhardt was born into a wandering gypsy family on the Belgian frontier. Music, particularly guitar music, was part of everyday life and at twelve Django, self-taught, mastered the banjo-guitar in an amazingly short time. He was hooked.
- The creation of The Quintet Of The Hot Club Of France happened almost by accident in the dressing room of the Hotel Claridge in Paris on the Champs-Elysees. Django and Stephane Grappelli were working in the same band there and one evening before a performance Django was plucking at his guitar when Stephane joined in on violin.
- By 1939 the QHCF was going from strength to strength; both Django and Stephane had become more daring and adventurous and the rhythm section's backing was more subtle. The outbreak of war on 3 September found the unit in London. Stephane remained for the duration; Django risked taking a boat back to France. The great days of The Quintet Of The Hot Club Of France were over.
- From 1946, firstly in London and later in Paris there were reunions between Django and Stephane but, with a few exceptions, these had lost their pre-war edge. Django died, aged only 43, in 1953 but his rich legacy of recordings proves time and time again that he was not only a virtuoso but a genius.
- The CD album includes an informative physical booklet with liner notes.
- Django Reinhardt ranks even yet as amongst the most creative of European jazz musicians.
- Reinhardt was born into a wandering gypsy family on the Belgian frontier. Music, particularly guitar music, was part of everyday life and at twelve Django, self-taught, mastered the banjo-guitar in an amazingly short time. He was hooked.
- The creation of The Quintet Of The Hot Club Of France happened almost by accident in the dressing room of the Hotel Claridge in Paris on the Champs-Elysees. Django and Stephane Grappelli were working in the same band there and one evening before a performance Django was plucking at his guitar when Stephane joined in on violin.
- By 1939 the QHCF was going from strength to strength; both Django and Stephane had become more daring and adventurous and the rhythm section's backing was more subtle. The outbreak of war on 3 September found the unit in London. Stephane remained for the duration; Django risked taking a boat back to France. The great days of The Quintet Of The Hot Club Of France were over.
- From 1946, firstly in London and later in Paris there were reunions between Django and Stephane but, with a few exceptions, these had lost their pre-war edge. Django died, aged only 43, in 1953 but his rich legacy of recordings proves time and time again that he was not only a virtuoso but a genius.
- The CD album includes an informative physical booklet with liner notes.