Django Reinhardt was born in a gypsy caravan on January 23, 1910, near Charleroi, Belgium, to Laurence Reinhardt and Jean Baptiste Weiss.
His father having registered the birth certificate in his mother’s name, Django became Reinhardt.
The family belonged to the Sinte, known as Manouches in France, a Roma ethnic group whose ancestors came from Pakistan and India.
The mother of his child Laurence, who was called “Négros”, the young man spent much of his childhood traveling in France, Italy and Algeria to escape the First World War, before his family settled permanently in Paris at Porte de Choisy, then Porte d’Italie.
He spent much of his childhood traveling through France, Italy and Algeria to escape the First World War, before his family settled permanently in Paris at the Porte de Choisy, then the Porte d’Italie.
Initially influenced by violin playing, at the age of 12 he was introduced to the banjo by an uncle, which he was able to use, with precocious sensitivity, in his father’s orchestra from the outset, and later in building yards, on the streets and in cabarets. The banjo-guitar had a definite advantage over the guitar when used in orchestras: the sound volume was higher and unaffected by an amplifier.
His career
Django Reinhardt was a French jazz guitarist. He was born in Liberchies, Belgium, in 1910. Django began his musical career in the 1920s. He played with some of the greatest jazz musicians of his time, including Coleman Hawkins, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. Django was one of the first jazz musicians to record albums. He also composed many songs, including Minor Swing and Nuages.
Accordionist Vetesio Guerino used the instrument in his orchestra; later, Jean Vaissade also noticed him and hired the instrument to record a debut album. Other famous artists of the time included the young prodigy in their orchestras.
Unfortunately, on the eve of his departure for new adventures with Jack Hylton’s orchestra, a fire broke out in Django’s caravan, where he had been living with his wife of several years, Bella Baumgartner. The flowers she was selling caught fire from an unlit candle.
Django suffered severe burns to his left hand and right leg, and spent up to 18 months in hospital. With the condition of his left hand, two fingers of which were paralyzed, his musical career could have been a little shaky. However, this was not without the guitarist’s determination. His brother Joseph brought him an instrument to help him pass the time in hospital, the banjo being too noisy. ….
In the spring, the Military Control Board visited the hospital to assess his state of health. Django, aged 20 at the time, was due to do his military service but, being unable to read the alphabet, did not respond to his call-up letters for two years. His injuries allowed him to be exempted.
Django died in 1953, aged 43.
Milestones
Reinhardt played with the greatest jazz musicians of his time, including Coleman Hawkins, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. He died in 1953.
Recordings
- Intégrale Django Reinhardt, Intégrale Django Reinhardt I à XX (1934-1953), 20 CDs, Paris: Frémeaux & Associés, FA302 – FA315, 1997.
- Django Reinhardt Retrospective 1934/53, 3 CDs, Saga, Distribution Universal, 038 161-2
- Djangologie, 20 remastered CDs (1928-1950), EMI France, 2009.
- Django Reinhardt and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France (Mosaic Records)
Sheet music
- Billmann, Pete Django Reinhardt, the definitive collection, [20 transcriptions and tablatures], Millwaukee, Wisconsin, Hal Leonard, sd.
- Reinhardt, Django, A Treasury of Django Reinhardt guitar solos, Millwaukee, Wisconsin, Hal Leonard, 1985.
- Reinhardt, Django, Undiscovered – Inédits, [transcriptions], East Sussex, Barnes Music Engraving Ltd, 1988.
- Romane ; Derek, Sébastian, Django Reinhardt improvisations 1935-1949, [transcriptions of solo improvisations], Paris, Henry Lemoine, 2003.
- Max Robin; Jean-Philippe Watremez, Django – The ultimate Django’s book, Paris, Bookmakers International, 2008.
- Fabio Lossani, Django Reinhardt in Italy, Carish ML2692, 2010
Filmography
- Django Reinhardt (1958), short film by Paul Paviot
- Django Reinhardt appears in only two films: Augusto Genina’s Naples au baiser de feu (1937) and Maurice Labro and Giorgio Simonelli’s La Route du bonheur (1953), starring Louis Armstrong, Luis Mariano and Line Renaud.
- Documentary by Christian Cascio, Django Reinhardt – Trois doigts de génie, 52 min, Idéale audience PB Production, 2010
- INA video: Hommage à Django Reinhardt, broadcast by Jean-Christophe Averty, April 23, 1960. Running time: 43 min 15 s.
- Django Reinhardt is played by Emil Lager in Martin Scorsese’s 2011 film Hugo Cabret.
- He is played by Reda Kateb in Étienne Comar’s biographical film Django, released in April 2017.
Personal life
Django Reinhardt was a virtuoso guitarist and prolific composer. Although crippled by a fire, he continued to play music with passion and invented his own style of jazz. Reinhardt was very discreet about his private life, and never gave interviews. Little is known about him, but he was loved and respected by his peers.
Awards and honors
Django Reinhardt was a French jazz guitarist born in 1910. He was one of the first jazz guitarists to use the electric amplifier, and invented new playing techniques that influenced many jazz guitarists. Reinhardt has been honored with numerous awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992, and was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Django Reinhardt is a great jazz guitarist. Considered the pioneer of gypsy jazz, Django Reinhardt greatly influenced the music of the 20th century.
Django Reinhardt and gypsy jazz
Gypsy jazz is a style of jazz created by Django Reinhardt in the 1930s. Django was a virtuoso guitarist whose unique style influenced many jazz musicians. Manouche jazz is characterized by joyful, festive energy, complex improvisations and melodious melodies.
Django Reinhardt grew up in a family of gypsy musicians. His mother was a singer and his father played mandolin. Django began learning guitar at the age of 10. In 1928, he lost the use of three of his fingers in a fire, but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time.
Django Reinhardt played with many famous musicians, including Coleman Hawkins, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. He also recorded several solo albums, including “Djangology” and “Swing Guitars”.
Gypsy jazz was popularized by Django Reinhardt and his group, the Quintette du Hot Club de France. The Quintette du Hot Club de France consisted of Django Reinhardt (guitar), Stéphane Grappelli (violin), Roger Chaput (guitar), Louis Vola (double bass) and Pierre Fouad (drums). They have recorded numerous albums and played at many jazz clubs and festivals.
The music of Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was one of the first jazz guitarists and pioneers of the Manouche style. His music was heavily influenced by gypsy jazz, a style popular in France in the 1930s. Django brought his own unique sensibility and style to the music, making him one of the most influential guitarists of all time.
Django was a guitar virtuoso and invented many playing techniques that were adopted by many other guitarists. He was also a pioneer in the use of amplification, which enabled him to perform in larger clubs and concert halls.
Django composed many songs that became jazz standards, including “Minor Swing”, “Djangology” and “Nuages”. His music has been popularized by many artists, including guitarists Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, and continues to be played and recorded by musicians around the world.
The life and work of Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt (1910-1953) was a French guitarist and composer of gypsy jazz, a style of jazz developed from gypsy music. Reinhardt is considered one of the most important jazz guitarists of all time, and was the first non-American musician to have a significant influence on the development of jazz.
Reinhardt was born into a family of gypsy musicians in Liberchies, Belgium. He began playing music at the age of 12, and joined his father’s group, the Quintette du Hot Club de France, in 1934. The quintet consisted of Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli (violin), Pierre Ferret (guitar), Roger Chaput (bass) and Emile Savitry (drums). The group was very popular in France and Europe, and toured the USA several times.
In 1928, Reinhardt was badly burned in a fire, losing the use of two fingers on his right hand. This had a considerable impact on his ability to play the guitar, but he developed his own playing technique that enabled him to become one of the most virtuoso guitarists of all time.
Reinhardt composed numerous songs that were popularized by the Quintette du Hot Club de France, including “Dinah”, “Minor Swing” and “Sweet Georgia Brown”. After the Second World War, he began to explore new musical styles, notably bebop, and played with many American musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins and Duke Ellington.
Reinhardt died of a heart attack at the age of 43, but his influence continues to be felt throughout the jazz world. His music is characterized by a joyful, infectious energy, and he has been a source of inspiration for many jazz musicians.
Django Reinhardt and the European music scene
Django Reinhardt is considered the pioneer of gypsy jazz, a style of jazz that emerged in Europe in the 1930s. Reinhardt was a virtuoso guitarist whose unique style influenced many musicians.
Reinhardt grew up in a family of gypsy musicians. His mother was a singer and his father a guitarist. Django began learning guitar at the age of 12. His technique was self-taught and he developed a very personal style.
In 1928, Reinhardt was badly burned in a fire and lost the use of two fingers on his left hand. This accident could have ended his career, but he persevered and continued to play the guitar, developing a technique adapted to his situation.
Django Reinhardt played with many famous musicians, including Coleman Hawkins, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Stephane Grappelli. He also recorded several solo albums.
Django Reinhardt was highly influential in the development of gypsy jazz. He popularized this style of jazz in Europe and helped make it known throughout the rest of the world. Reinhardt paved the way for many other musicians, and his influence is still felt today.
Django Reinhardt: a pioneer of gypsy jazz
Django grew up in a family of Gypsy musicians. His father was a guitarist and his mother played the violin. Django began playing guitar at the age of 12. He was influenced by blues and jazz guitarists of the time, such as Eddie Lang and Lonnie Johnson.
In 1928, Django joined the Quintette du Hot Club de France, a French jazz group that was very popular in the 1930s. The group was made up of Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli, Pierre Ferret, Roger Chaput and Emmanuel Soudieux.
The Quintette du Hot Club de France was known for its unique style of jazz, which was influenced by musette, a style of popular French music. The group was also influenced by Gypsy and Latin American music.
The Quintette du Hot Club de France has recorded numerous albums, the most famous of which is Django et Grappelli: Le Jazz Hot.
Django Reinhardt also recorded several solo albums, including Django’s Tiger and Django’s Dream.
Django Reinhardt died in 1953, aged 43. His music continues to influence jazz guitarists everywhere.