DJANGO REINHARDT – 1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 748 (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Django Reinhardt's legacy of great jazz records is so vast that some may feel intimidated by the sheer volume of material. Where to begin? What's the best? Did he ever make "bad" recordings? All of these questions quickly dissipate when the music itself starts to roll. Most of Django's music is delightful, which explains his continued popularity many years after his untimely death. It just so happens that this volume in the Reinhardt chronology is an excellent place to dive in. The year 1937 was a great one for jazz, both in the U.S. and in Europe, where this music was flourishing in a collective atmosphere of ethnic diversity not unlike that which had fueled its birth and development in the social cauldrons of Chicago, New Orleans, St. Louis, Kansas City and New York. The Parisian jazz scene positively thrived during the 1930s, with the Quintet of the Hot Club of France quickly establishing itself as the definitive Continental swing unit. By April of 1937 this group had been making records together for more than two years. Their style had fully jelled into an exacting formula suitable for interpreting jazz standards and pop songs with impeccable ease. Within a few days 20 outstanding performances were waxed, and every single side is astonishing in its freshness and lyrical invention. In addition to defining the sound of the Quintet in its prime, this volume includes two unaccompanied guitar solos -- the stunningly virtuosic "Parfum" is one of Django's all-time greatest recorded achievements -- and a pair of guitar/alto saxophone duets featuring the great Andre Ekyan. arwulf arwulf     Tracklist + Credits :

DON BYAS – 1952 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1372 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The eighth volume in the complete recordings of Oklahoma native Carlos Wesley "Don" Byas consists of 23 recordings he made in Paris during the spring and summer of 1952. Nine wonderful sides recorded for the Blue Star label on April 10th of that year are classic Byas -- lots of lush ballads and an occasional kicker -- with excellent rhythm support by pianist Art Simmons, bassist Joe Benjamin, and drummer Bill Clark. The remaining tracks presented here were originally issued on the Vogue label. Six lovely melodies recorded on May 21st feature guitarist Marcel Bianchi and bassist Pierre Michelot, while eight tunes rendered on July 18th are enhanced by the addition of a vibraphone. Byas was both a master of romantic exposition and a formidable improviser at brisk tempos, comparable to Coleman Hawkins yet possessed of a spirit entirely his own. This material will be new to some of those who live outside of Europe, and for this reason the producers of the Classics Chronological Series are to be warmly commended for having brought out another excellent volume of vintage jazz music for all to hear. arwulf arwulf

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