Hot Club Quintet of France

Editorial Reviews
From Jazziz
In terms of sheer natural ability, Django Reinhardt was incredibly endowed. For years, he was easily the most technically proficient jazz guitarist. This six-CD set illustrates implications of reinhardt's that often go unrecognized. Django's long, complex eighth-note lines and running of chord progressions make him a precursor of bop, like Charlie Christian, who came along a few years later. He has a great rhythmic variety and, like Art Tatum, stimulates listeners with mixes of eighth notes and triplets. Before Wes Montgomery, he popularized the use of octaves. His subtle use of harmonics, bent tones, and vibrato variation also deserve praise.

And Reinhardt recorded what very well may have been the first free-jazz piece, "Improvisation," in 1937, which is amazingly rich in ideas and quite coherently structured. On that tune, Reinhardt exhibits a flamenco influence, something he rarely did. There and on "Parfum," another solo selection, Reinhardt uses rubato effectively.

For the most part, these selections were made with the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, which originally consisted of Reinhardt, violinist Stefan Grappelli, two rhythm guitars, and bass. Clarinetists Hubert Rostaing or Gerard Leveque replace Grappelli on some tracks, and Reinhardt uses two clarinets on one session. The quintet sound with Grappelli was one of the most distinctive among jazz groups. Occasionally, Reinhardt replaced one of the rhythm guitarists with a drummer, resulting in a lighter rhythm-section sound. There are also a few larger ensembles here.

Reinhardt's work is consistently amazing. Unlike Tatum, Reinhardt used his incredible chops for musical ends more than for grandstanding. Grappelli provides a number of highlights as well with his delightfully swinging work. Rostaing plays pleasantly, if generically, and the rhythm sections generally give Reinhardt solid, infectious backing.

Many of the tunes here are standards, but Reinhardt uses some of his excellent originals as well, e.g. "Nuages" and "Manoir de Mes Reves." His "Bolero," on which strings and brass appear, was inspired by Ravel's. There are also versions here of works by Grieg, Liszt, and Fritz Kreisler. "Festival Swing 1942, Part Two" is a Rostaing composition on which five different bands, ranging from a trio to a big band, are heard consecutively.

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