Search - Django Reinhardt :: The Swing Sessions, Vol. 1

Django and American friends

JJA Kiefte | Tegelen, Nederland | 02/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first in a series of four discs compiled and remastered by Ted Kendall (whose splendid work for JSP on Reinhardt's HMV recordings puts him in the same class as John RT Davies) brings together the first recordings for the French Swing label (1937). For their first recording session producers Charles Delaunay and Hughues Panassié managed to get Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Django and Stéphane Grappelly (on piano) together in the studio, playing four sides, the most famous of which are "Crazy Rhythm" (which also features French saxophonists André Ekyan and Alix Combelle) and "Honeysuckle Rose". The record was an immediate bestseller and, even after more than seventy years, it still is easy to see why. The next six titles are by a band led by Dickie Wells (who was visiting France with Teddy Hill's band). The recordings generously feature himself and his extraordinary trombone playing and the delightful trumpeter Bill Coleman (also with Hill's band), whose lithe technique, airy tone and sure command of the upper register make his solo contributions one of the great joys of this disc. Django is featured relatively little solistically, but together with Teddy Hill's bassist Dick Fullbright forms one of the strongest rhythm teams this side of the Atlantic (they almost drown out drummer Bill Beason's contributions). Another American visitor, violinist Eddie South, gigs with Reinhardt and Grappelly on five titles; the disc is rounded off to a generous 26 titles by Philippe Brun's band (a French trumpet star who for some years played with Jack Hylton and Ray Ventura) and a few titles with the QHF (which also appeared on JSP).

The sound quality is truly extraordinary, clear and warm and almost without any surface noise. A great disc with immensely swinging, joyous music."