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Django Reinhardt was the first hugely influential jazz figure to emerge from Europe -- and he remains the most influential European to this day, with possible competition from Joe Zawinul, George Shearing, John McLaughlin, his old cohort Stephane Grappelli and a bare handful of others. A free-spirited gypsy, Reinhardt wasn't the most reliable person in the world, frequently wandering off into the countryside on a whim. Yet Reinhardt came up with a unique way of propelling the humble acoustic guitar into the front line of a jazz combo in the days before amplification became widespread. He would spin joyous, arcing, marvelously inflected solos above the thrumming base of two rhythm guitars and a bass, with Grappelli's elegantly gliding violin serving as the perfect foil. His harmonic concepts were startling for their time -- making a direct impression upon Charlie Christian and Les Paul, among others -- and he was an energizing rhythm guitarist behind Grappelli, pushing their groups into a higher gear. Not only did Reinhardt put his stamp upon jazz, his string band music also had an impact upon the parallel development of Western swing, which eventually fed into the wellspring of what is now called country music. Although he could not read music, with Grappelli and on his own, Reinhardt composed several winsome, highly original tunes like "Daphne," "Nuages" and "Manoir de Mes Reves," as well as mad swingers like "Minor Swing" and the ode to his record label of the '30s, "Stomping at Decca." As the late Ralph Gleason said about Django's recordings, "They were European and they were French and they were still jazz."
CONDITION: NEW
TRACK LISTING
Disc: 1
1. Oriental Shuffle
2. Are You in the Mood
3. I'se a Muggin'
4. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
5. Limehouse Blues
6. After You've Gone
7. Swing Guitars
8. Shine
9. In the Still of the Night
10. Georgia on My Mind
11. Nagasaki
12. Sweet Chorus
13. Charleston
14. Solitude
15. Tears
16. Exactly Like You
17. You're Driving Me Crazy
18. Ain't Misbehavin'
19. Body and Soul
20. Hot Lips
Disc: 2
1. Runnin' Wild
2. Chicago
3. In a Sentimental Mood
4. Sheik of Araby
5. Alabamy Bound
6. Improvisation
7. Parfum
8. St Louis Blues
9. Bouncin' Around
10. I've Found a Brand New Baby
11. Minor Swing
12. Bricktop
13. Viper's Dream
14. Swingin' with Django
15. Paramound Stomp
16. Bolero
17. Mabel
18. Tea for Two
19. You Rascal You
20. Sweet Georgia Brown
Disc: 3
1. Naguine
2. Stockholm
3. I'll See You in My Dreams
4. Echoes of Spain
5. Out of Nowhere
6. Begin the Beguine
7. Rhythm Futur
8. Blues
9. Indecision
10. Swing 41
11. Pour Vous (Exactly Like You)
12. Petits Mensonges
13. Les Yeux Noirs
14. Sweet Sue Just You
15. All of Me
16. Swing de Paris
17. Crepuscule
18. Swing 42
19. Belleville
20. Lentement Mademoiselle
Disc: 4
1. Manoir de Mes Reves
2. Douce Ambiance
3. Cavalerie
4. Blues Clair
5. Improvisation 3
6. Improvisation 3
7. Django's Tiger
8. Coquette
9. Embraceable You
10. Echoes of France
11. Melodie Au Crepuscule
12. Nuages
13. On the Sunny Side of the Street
14. Swingtime in Springtime
15. I Won't Dance
16. Lover Man
17. How High the Moon
18. R Ving Six
19. Songe D'automne
20. Just One of Those Things
Disc: 5
1. Vette
2. Django's Dream
3. Topsy
4. Dinette
5. What Is This Thing Called Love
6. Ol' Man River
7. Tiger Rag
8. Oh Lady Be Good
9. Festival
10. Daphne
11. La Mer
12. Djangology
13. Ou Es Tu Mon Amour
14. I Got Rhythm
15. Honeysuckle Rose
16. Nuits de Saint Germain Des Pres
17. Troublant Bolero
18. Anouman
19. Brazil
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