Jean "Django" Reinhardt (1910-1953) stands as a monumental figure in the history of jazz guitar. Born in Liberchies, Pont-à-Celles, Belgium, into a family of Manouche Romani descent, Django's music journey began with the violin before he eventually switched to the banjo-guitar. His career, however, faced a nearly catastrophic setback in 1928 when a fire severely damaged his left hand. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, Reinhardt developed a unique technique to overcome his disability, using only his thumb and two fully functioning fingers for soloing, while the other two partially paralyzed fingers helped with chord work. This technique contributed to his distinctive sound, a blend of gypsy music with American jazz, which he pioneered and perfected.

Django Reinhardt is best remembered as one of the founders of the Quintette du Hot Club de France, a group which included violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Together, they created "Gypsy jazz" (also known as "hot club jazz" or "manouche jazz"), an innovative genre characterized by string instrumentation and Reinhardt's virtuosic guitar playing. Django's compositions, such as "Nuages," "Minor Swing," and "Djangology," have become jazz standards. His influence extends far beyond jazz, touching classical musicians, guitarists across multiple genres, and even pop culture at large. Despite the passage of decades since his untimely death in 1953, Django Reinhardt's legacy endures, celebrated in numerous posthumous releases and remasters of his timeless work, ensuring his place as a pivotal figure in the history of 20th-century music.

Genres

French Jazz

Gypsy Jazz

Jazz

Jazz Guitar

Swing

Related Artists

Joe Pass

Wes Montgomery

Charlie Christian

Louis Armstrong

Barney Kessel

Ella Fitzgerald

George Benson

Herb Ellis

Stan Getz

Count Basie

Oscar Peterson

Benny Goodman

Latest Release

Troublant Bolero

Django Reinhardt

Single - Released December 9, 2023