Rough Guide Gypsy Swing

Oh the debt that music owes to Django Reinhardt! He’s well represented here, as are contemporary musicians (mostly French) carrying on Django’s legacy, or using his style to inspire new creations. It’s hot, it’s fun, it’s all good (especially the tracks below). Waiter, more wine s’il vous plait.

1. La-la-la. Happy, happy. A fast romp to start things off.
2. Nice blend of guitar & violin in this lightly romantic piece.
4. Fast, w/vocals in Rom.
5. Good lord, the guitarist was only 14 when this was recorded!
7. Nostalgic male vocals add romance to this café sound.
8. Old recording of the master in an accordion & guitar duet.
9. Django & Stephane Grapelli on one of their classics. Yay!
10. Deliciously fun w/Freddy Taylor vocals in a 1936 track.
11. Soft, introspective, dramatic. Sigh…
13. Uptempo ‘30s jazz w/nice blend of guitar/sax.
14. Classic bal musette accordion sound.
15. Fast & sharp w/just a hint of nostalgia.
21. Django & Stephane reunited at the end of WWII and played this controversial, jazzy version of La Marseillaise.
3/2004