Django Reinhardt - Page 4

This is a interesting and sometimes well-recorded nod to his influences.  Quite diverse in scope, it is a two disc set.  If you are into contemporary influences he's had, this would be a good one to check out.  I'm not crazy about the entire set though. 

 

Try finding some Stephane Grappelli he playes violin with Jango and his music sound like Jango's

I have it from a credible source that the transfer work on that CD isn't optimum nor is it 1st generation transfers.

 

You want the following:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Early-Recordings-Chronogical-Order/dp/B00004S5WA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1278550989&sr=1-3

 

Order it used if you don't want to pay the already cheap price of $25 for 4 CD's.

 

 

Thanks for the advice, I will check it out...
 

Just buy the first 5 CD set on JSP.

After reading the posts in this thread it seems that these two boxed sets are the most highly recommended for sound quality and collection...is one of them better than the other one...Thanks

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004S5WA/${0}

 

http://www.amazon.com/Paris-London-1937-48-Django-Reinhardt/dp/B00005A7KP/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1278595038&sr=8-10

Edited by DLeeWebb - 7/8/10 at 6:22am

They cover different periods.  They're both the best (maybe or maybe not equalled, but not surpassed) for the periods they cover.  They're both highly variable in sound quality.  The first set covers a more  historically essential period, certainly.  There are "better" recordings in terms of sound quality of material that's still later than these cover, but again we're moving away from what is considered the "best music" in Django's career if we go there.

 

I believe it is vol. 2 that has a higher percentage of better sound quality transfers, but still it's vol. 1 that has the music you most want to hear. Definitely start with vol. 1, and if you want more Django you go forward from there.  Meantime also check out some Rosenberg Trio, or Bireli Lagrene's Gypsy Project (etc), and see where the children of Django have landed later in the century or early in the next.

 

Yeah, that seems like the common sense thing to do. This Django Reinhardt interest is a very new thing for me. I have recently gotten back into playing guitar after years of not playing. I bought John Jorgenson's album "Franco-American Swing" because of an article that I read in Acoustic Guitar magazine and a same day recommendation here and I love it. I thought that maybe I should look into Django a little bit deeper...thanks to you and the other posters for the information.
 

Interestingly... after looking at your links, I saw a third JSP set, also mastered by Ted Kendall -- of the post-war recordings:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OBBRQU/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=160BESVVZM2B633BX3A6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

 

I have some of this on very good RCA-Bluebird cds, and haven't heard the JSPs. But JSP is cheaper, another 5 discs, and also mastered by "The Man" when it comes to early Django.  Again what is considered by most to be less essential than the earliest, but still some really great music, in better sound.  Some of those post-war recordings have Django playing electric (which many purists derided at the time -- probably still do). Sometimes you hear influence of the bebop revolution in Django's playing.  Which also, many purists derided at the time.

 

I don't know if there is or should be a "don't recommend recordings you haven't heard" rule.  But I have heard other releases of the same material. I'll bet having Ted Kendall do the remastering makes that set at least as good as what I've heard, likely better. And that's a period that should not be left to just the Django-obsessives.

 

The obvious bad part of my advice is that it comes down to "Spend more money!!!" which everyone already knows.

Edited by Choronzon - 7/8/10 at 7:51am

Thanks for the information...it certainly saves me both time and money getting something good the first time. I think that I'm going to do what you suggested and start with the "Classic Early Recordings In Chronological Order [Box Set, Original Recording Reissued]." That should give me a good idea if I should expand my collection from there...

Solid thinking.  Maybe we should have a separate John Jorgensen thread.

Another genius from the same period playing in a similar swing style was Fats Waller. His stuff was well recorded and is uniformly excellent. I haven't heard a Fats Waller song that I didn't love. He's probably the most consistently great performer in the entire history of jazz.

Maybe so...

Well, I got it in the mail today. I plan to begin my journey through this boxed set soon...