Bireli Lagrene: Swing

The program includes several lovely originals as well as favorites from the Django songbook. A slow ballad such as "September Song can grab your heart every time and the same is true for rich melodic pieces such as the young leader's "Biréli Hi Gogoro and Reinhardt's "Nuages, which Lagrène interprets with the convincing authority of a seasoned veteran.

But it's the album's up-tempo romps and active swing numbers that create the most excitement. The guitarist's finger-style technique spells out each melodic line clearly with accompanying acoustic strings that weave cohesively alongside. They're as closely knit as a family band. Lagrène's brother, Gaiti, plays rhythm guitar along with Tschirglo Loeffler, the three guitarists supported from the bottom by bassist Jan Jankeje, who solos frequently and trades fours liberally.

"Black Eyes, which was translated into German on the original album as "Schwarze Auten, appears to be the traditional "Dark Eyes. It's been a favorite of several generations and represents the kind of theme that endears the young Lagrène to our hearts. In 1981, he brought us lyric beauty along with an incredible technique, all wrapped up in a swinging acoustic package. Age fourteen indeed! This is one of those rare occasions where use of the term "phenomenal seems entirely appropriate.