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Django Reinhardt: The Classic Early Recordings In Chronoloical Order

By Ron Meyers
January 1, 2001
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This is almost too good to be true for Django fans. Here's a five CD set, with each CD covering over 70 minutes, excellent sound quality, from this wonderful company in England called JSP, covering around 125 78's of Django's material all for a budget price that is outstanding. (I bought it on the net for $21.49.)

Vol. 1 are 1934-35 recordings featuring Stephane Grapelly. "Connoisseurs will note that the first two Odeon tracks are issued here for first time at the correct pitch". Vol. 2 are the London Deccas (1938 & 1939). Vol. 3 are the 1938-39 Paris Decca recordings. Vol. 4 includes the Coleman Hawkins session. Vol. 5 covers the 1937 HMV sessions, plus the Garnet Clark recordings from 1935. All five CDs represent a treasure trove of Reinhardt material at a price that can't be beat. Discographical material is excellent.

Due to the length of the titles and the musicians I am not listing that information here. I quote from the front of the box: "The music on this CD set has been restored from the best available 78 copies, which have been carefully checked for pitch by the sound engineer Ted Kendall. His work is so good that it can literally be said that Reinhardt has never been heard with such presence before. The guitarist's fingers can be heard moving across the fingerboard, and there is a new resonance as he plucks each note". Its true.

Personnel

Django Reinhardt

guitar

Album information

Title: The Classic Early Recordings In Chronoloical Order | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: JSP Records

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