Learn How to Play Guitar With Django Reinhardt</font>

Django Reinhardt

    Django Reinhardt was the first hugely influential jazz figure to emerge from Europe - and he remains the most influential European to this day, with possible competition from Joe Zawinul, George Shearing, John McLaughlin, his old cohort Stephane Grappelli and a bare handful of others. A free-spirited gypsy, Reinhardt wasn't the most reliable person in the world, frequently wandering off into the countryside on a whim. Yet Reinhardt came up with a unique way of propelling the humble acoustic guitar into the front line of a jazz combo in the days before amplification became widespread. He would spin joyous, arcing, marvelously inflected solos above the thrumming base of two rhythm guitars and a bass, with Grappelli's elegantly gliding violin serving as the perfect foil.

    His harmonic concepts were startling for their time - making a direct impression upon Charlie Christian and Les Paul, among others - and he was an energizing rhythm guitarist behind Grappelli, pushing their groups into a higher gear. Not only did Django Reinhardt put his stamp upon jazz, his string-band music also had an impact upon the parallel development of Western swing, which eventually fed into the wellspring of what is now called country music. Although he could not read music, with Grappelli and on his own, Reinhardt composed several winsome, highly original tunes like "Daphne," "Nuages" and "Manoir de mes reves," as well as mad swingers like "Minor Swing" and the ode to his record label of the `30s, "Stomping At Decca." As the late Ralph Gleason said about Django's recordings, "They were European and they were French and they were still jazz."

    A violinist first and a guitarist later, Jean Baptiste "Django" Reinhardt grew up in a gypsy camp near Paris where he absorbed the gypsy strain into his music. A disastrous caravan fire in 1928 badly burned his left hand, depriving him of the use of the fourth and fifth fingers, but the resourceful Reinhardt figured out a novel fingering system to get around the problem that probably accounts for some of the originality of his style. According to one story, during his recovery period, Reinhardt was introduced to American jazz when he found a 78 RPM disc of Louis Armstrong's "Dallas Blues" at an Orleans flea market. He then resumed his career playing in Parisian cafes until one day in 1934 when Hot Club chief Pierre Nourry proposed the idea of an all-string band to Django Reinhardt and Grappelli. Thus was born the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, which quickly became an international draw thanks to a long, splendid series of Ultraphone, Decca and HMV recordings.

The outbreak of war in 1939 broke up the Quintette, with Grappelli remaining in London where the group was playing and Reinhardt returning to France. During the war years, he led a big band, another quintet with clarinetist Hubert Rostaing in place of Grappelli, and after the liberation of Paris, recorded with such visiting American jazzmen as Mel Powell, Peanuts Hucko and Ray McKinley. In 1946, Reinhardt took up the electric guitar and toured America as a soloist with the Duke Ellington band but his appearances were poorly received. Some of his recordings on electric guitar late in his life are bop escapades where his playing sounds frantic and jagged, a world apart from the jubilant swing of old. However, starting in Jan. 1946, Reinhardt and Grappelli held several sporadic reunions where the bop influences are more subtly integrated into the old, still-fizzing swing format. In the 1950s, Reinhardt became more reclusive, remaining in Europe, playing and recording now and then until his death from a stroke in 1953. His Hot Club recordings from the `30s are his most irresistible legacy; their spirit and sound can be felt in current groups like Holland's Rosenberg Trio.

Django Reinhardt - The Best Of Django Reinhardt - Book and CD
Explore the ground-breaking styles of one of the most unique and influential guitarists in jazz! A step-by-step breakdown of the guitar styles and techniques of a jazz giant taught by Joe Charupakorn Songs include: "Dinah, Tiger Rag (Hold That Tiger), Old Folks at Home (Swanee River), Djangology, Limehouse Blues, Stardust, Swing Guitar, Ain't Misbehavin', Rose Room, Minor Swing, Daphne, Nuages, Swing 42, Belleville, Honeysuckle Rose, Marie".
Notation and tab...........................................................................Price - $24.95

Django Reinhardt - Django: A Jazz Tribute - DVD
Performed by Bireli Lagrene and Babik Reinhardt. Groundbreaking young guitarist Bireli Lagrene pays musical tribute to the late gypsy legend Django Reinhardt - with a blistering set of guitar duets! Teaming up Django's son Babik, a noted guitarist in his own right, Lagrene navigates the difficult guitar-duo format with electrifying energy, passion and enthusiasm! Pieces include: "Bireli's Original, Nuages, Action, Bacara".
(26 min)..........................................................................................Price - $19.95

Django Reinhardt - Guitar Play Along - Book and CD
The Guitar Play-Along Series will help you play your favorite songs quickly and easily! Just follow the tab, listen to the CD to hear how the guitar should sound, and then play along using the separate backing tracks. The melody and lyrics are also included in the book in case you want to sing, or to simply help you follow along. The audio CD is playable on any CD player, and also enhanced so PC & Mac users can adjust the recording to any tempo without changing pitch! Includes 8 songs: "Brazil � Daphne � Djangology � Honeysuckle Rose � Minor Swing � Nuages � Souvenirs � Swing 42".
Notation and tab...........................................................................Price - $16.95
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Django Reinhardt - Know The Man, Play The Music - Book and CD
Taught by Dave Gelly & Rod Fogg the music of Django Reinhardt is as important today as it has ever been. Blending jazz and Gipsy influences, his exuberant solos and incisive rhythm playing have fascinated and tantalized guitarists for half a century. In this book, leading jazz writer Dave Gelly considers Django's life and recordings and explains exactly why he sounded the way he did. Meanwhile, guitarist and teacher Rod Fogg shows you how you can achieve that sound yourself - with the help of detailed transcriptions of six of Django's most celebrated and exciting numbers! Tunes include: "Djangology, Sweet Chorus, Bouncin' Around, Minor Swing, Honeysuckle Rose, Nuages". This book has a hard cover with spiral binding.
Notation and tab...........................................................................Price - $24.95

Jazz Guitar Chords & Arpeggio Patterns - Stacy McKee - This unique book jazz guitar chord formations and matching single note arpeggio patterns in a quick reference format that no one has ever done before! Cross indexing makes this manual extremely easy to use and regardless of what style of music you play, we know you will find this to be a valuable, "must have" addition to your library. Stacy McKee was the featured guitarist with "Les Brown and The Band Of Renown" and for a limited time only, we will include an exclusive copy of his book FREE with your first order!
==> Click here to see the Stacy McKee Chord Melody Solo Collection <==

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Django Reinhardt