Jazz Articles about Bireli Lagrene

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Bir: Gipsy Project & Friends

by Trevor MacLaren
December 18, 2002

Once again Django disciple Biréli Lagrène has released an exquisite record: Gipsy Project & Friends is one of the finest guitar jazz discs of the year! Pulling together players like Florin Niculescu on violin, Hono Winterstein and Holzmano Lagrène on guitar, and the great Henri Salvador on vocals, Biréli Lagrène has mined the depths of Django's legacy. As with his past recordings, the guitarist approaches his instrument with a subtle and graceful motion that cascades in much the same way ...

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Bir: Gypsy Project

by Jim Santella
March 1, 2002

Re-creating the music of Django Reinhardt, this time focused on the years after 1940, Biréli Lagrène brings back vivid memories: a two-step swing foundation without the usual rhythm section, a soaring Stéphane Grappelli violin melody, and Reinhardt's graceful guitar, trading improvised thoughts. Lagrène is superb. On “Vout et Moi," he transposes the rare solo that guitarist Reinhardt originally recorded on violin in 1942. And he does so with heartfelt expression. Few guitarists can articulate as well. Like Reinhardt, Lagrène was ...

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Didier Lockwood: Tribute To Stephane Grappelli

by Mike Neely
September 1, 2000

French violinist Didier Lockwood’s new CD brings together three of Europe’s outstanding jazz musicians in a lively Tribute To Stephane Grappelli. The classically trained Lockwood is accompanied by the Danish bass master Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen and noted French guitarist Bireli LaGrene in a set that would do Grappelli proud.

Lockwood is the recipient of the Waldrop violin, first presented to Grappelli in 1937. The famed French violinist Michel Waldrop initially presented the violin to Grappelli in recognition of him ...

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Didier Lockwood: Tribute To Stephane Grappelli

by AAJ Staff
August 1, 2000

After his excursions into modal jazz, rock, fusion and bop, Didier Lockwood has come home again to revel in the music of jazz violin great Stéphane Grappelli with whom Lockwood performed early in his career.In the process, Lockwood is exposing his astounding talent on a difficult instrument seldom heard in jazz to a broader audience. That audience can't help but sit up and take notice.With the aid of just-as-astounding Biréli Lagrène on guitar (assuming the Django ...

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Bireli Lagrene: Routes To Django/Bireli Swing '81

by Douglas Payne
August 1, 1999

Close your eyes and play any one of the 28 songs on this two-disc set. Guess when the recordings were made, who's playing and how old the player is. It sounds like the catchy, acoustic guitar swing pioneered by Django Reinhardt at the Hot Club de France in Paris during the 1930s.Hard as it is to believe, though, these recordings were made during the early 1980s, when fusion and disco reigned in jazz. Even more surprising, the fingers ...

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Bireli Lagrene w/Larry Coryell & Miroslav Vitous: Special Guests

by AAJ Staff
June 1, 1999

“Are you ready?” Bireli Lagrene shouts with excitement. “Yeah...I am,” says Larry Coryell; he sounds testy but all is forgotten as we dive in a bed of strings. The crowd is still: the two strum mightily and then Bireli starts the theme, a Coryell line with a bit of flamenco. Notes wiggle and twist, with a metallic bite. Coryell adds a muscular rhythm part; loud broad strokes Bireli fights to play above. Larry’s turn sparkles: a frantic 12-string with airy ...

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Bireli Lagrene: Blue Eyes

by John Sharpe
August 1, 1998

Recorded in June 1997, Blue Eyes showcases Europe’s master guitarist riffing on 13 classic tunes made famous by “The Voice." It’s a relaxed, yet hard-swingin’ session, highlighted by Lagrene’s fluid guitar stylings and Maurice Vanders’ joyful piano solos. Lagrene even includes a couple of vocals to the set and his renditions of The Lady Is A Tramp and You Make Me Feel So Young are surprisingly good. In light of his recent passing, a poignant and loving tribute to the ...