Biography
Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt first crossed paths as regular jamming partners in the same clubs, an encounter that prompted them to establish the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Among the earliest Europeans to leave a mark on jazz, the pair drew strong inspiration from Eddie South and the Eddie Lang/Joe Venuti recordings of the 1920s. A Belgian-born gypsy, the hot-tempered Reinhardt had lost two fingers in a childhood fire, an injury that forced him to develop a distinctive guitar technique. Grappelli, the French violinist, never warmed to Reinhardt personally yet valued their musical rapport. The ensemble took its name from a neighborhood club run by the enthusiastic Pierre Nourry, while influential magazine editor Charles Delaunay put together the initial roster. Django’s brother Joseph and Roger Chaput were enlisted on acoustic rhythm guitar, with bassist Louis Vola completing the lineup. During the 1930s the group crisscrossed Europe, concentrating its efforts in the receptive United Kingdom. Its growing renown on the continent reached the United States, drawing admirers such as Rex Stewart, Louis Armstrong, and their idol Eddie South, all of whom sought opportunities to sit in during visits abroad. Duke Ellington’s admiration led him to invite Reinhardt on a tour with his orchestra, yet the outbreak of World War II halted any further collaboration. Once war was declared, Reinhardt returned to France from England while Grappelli remained there for the conflict’s duration. Seven years passed before the two performed together again, a separation that produced unplanned solo projects. Reinhardt kept the group active with replacement musicians, eventually swapping violin and rhythm guitar for clarinet and drums. He later accepted Ellington’s earlier offer, but the venture failed and left him stranded without work in New York. Upon his return to France the original members reconvened and appeared at postwar festivals where professional dissatisfaction surfaced. Longtime listeners preferred the band’s established sound, whereas Reinhardt leaned toward bebop. These tensions finally ended the partnership, sending each musician into separate careers that proved quiet yet creatively engaging.
Albums
