Django Reinhardt - Django in Rome 1949-1950 (CD)

By the time these recordings were made, Django had toured the US and made his last recordings with the original Hot Club de France. There was to be one last set of sessions with Stephane Grappelli - which forms the bulk of the first three albums of this collection. The sessions arose from an engagement at a Roman club - the Rupe Tarpea. Reinhardt and Grappelli took it when no other work was on offer. The pair had to face two realities. First, their wartime separation had led to new directions and collaborations. Second, their dwindling audiences wanted to hear their hits - making any evolution difficult. The first cut, Over The Rainbow perhaps defines the Django/Stephane relationship: Grappelli struts his stuff as a lead-in to Django's more agile pyrotechnics. And even as Django supplies rhythm support he can't resist interjections that show him to be the boss and the master of his instrument. Ironically, on the second track - Night And Day Grappelli is much more able than Django to extract pathos from a haunting tune. The stars are reworking some material. For example, Django had recorded a different version of Night And Day with trumpeter Rex Stewart in 1947. And the pre-war Hot Club had recorded Nagasaki, Minor Swing, Sweet Georgia Brown and Swing '39. But this is refinement, not repetition. And Manoir de Mes Reves here was the last time Reinhardt and Grappelli would record together. No dramatic bust-up. Possibly both men felt they had nowhere else to go. Django returned to Rome in 1950 with changes. Grappelli is replaced by alto player André Ekyan and Django is playing an electric guitar. The Italian backing musicians are more than competent, but this is entirely Ekyan and Reinhardt's show - pianist Schécroun is not planning anything attention grabbing, and the rhythm section... supplies rhythm. There's some fine solo work here from Django and Ekyan who frequently revisit material. No harm in that. Anything by Django merits repeated listening.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. Over the Rainbow
2. Night and Day
3. Minor Blues
4. Nature Boy
5. The World Is Waiting for the Sunshine
6. Vous Qui Passez Sans Me Voir
7. Hallelujah
8. Nagasaki
9. I'll Never Be the Same
10. Swing '39
11. Clopin Clopant
12. Honeysuckle Rose
13. All the You Are
14. Djangology
15. Liza
16. For Sentimental Reasons
17. Daphne
18. La Mer
19. Sweet Georgia Brown
20. Lover Man
21. Marie
22. Stormy Weather
23. Minor Swing

Disc: 2

1. To Each His Own
2. What Is This Thing Called Love
3. Ou Es-Tu Mon Amour
4. Undecided
5. Swing '42
6. I Surrender Dear
7. After You've Gone
8. I Got Rhythm
9. I Saw Stars
10. Artillerie Lourde
11. It's Only a Paper Moon
12. Time on My Hands
13. Brick Top
14. Tchaikovsky's Starry Night
15. My Blue Heaven
16. Menilmontant
17. Swing Guitars
18. My Melancholy Baby
19. Webster
20. Micro
21. Micro
22. Dream of You
23. Begin the Beguine

Disc: 3

1. How High the Moon
2. Nuages
3. I Can't Get Started
4. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
5. The Man I Love
6. The Peanut Vendor
7. Just a Gigolo
8. Troublant Bolero
9. Rosetta
10. Blue Skies
11. It Might As Well Be Spring
12. Blue Lou
13. Brazil
14. What a Difference a Day Made
15. Pigalle
16. Manoir de Mes Reves
17. Improvisation No.4
18. Anniversary Song
19. Stormy Weather
20. Russian Songs Melody
21. Jersey Bounce

Disc: 4

1. Dinette
2. Sophisticated Lady
3. Micro
4. Dream of You
5. Nuages
6. Darktown Strutters Ball
7. Greig's Norwegian Dance
8. A Tisket a Tasket
9. Manoir de Mes Reves
10. Place de Brouckere
11. September Song
12. Royal Garden Blues
13. St Louis Blues
14. Sweet Georgia Brown
15. Minor Swing
16. Double Whiskey
17. Artillerie Lourde
18. St. James' Ifirmary
19. C Jam Blues
20. Honeysuckle Rose
21. Debussy's Reverie
22. Black Night
23. Boogie Woogie