DJANGO REINHARDT – 1934-1935 | The Classics Chronological Series – 703 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This first installment in Classics' multi-volume Reinhardt series is a fine place to start your Django collection. Recorded between 1934-1935, the 23 tracks include many of first sides from the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, which Reinhardt formed with frequent cohort and violinist Stephane Grappelli. Cut for the French Ultraphone label, the material includes such top-notch QHCF sides as "I Saw Stars," "I'm Confessin'," and "Dinah." There's also a few numbers Reinhardt cut with the Michel Warlop Orchestra before teaming up with QHCF. And while JSP's Reinhardt discs often beat out many of the Classics titles for sound quality, this early offering ranks as one that stands up just fine. Stephen Cook       Tracklist :

DJANGO REINHARDT – 1935 | The Classics Chronological Series – 727 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Gathered here are many of the first sides cut by the Quintette du Hot Club de France. Better known maybe as Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli's band, this very original Parisian combo took the energy of early jazz classics sides by Armstrong, Beiderbecke, et al., and infused it with elements from the French chanson tradition and Reinhardt's own gypsy heritage. Beyond their unique guitar and violin repartee, though, Reinhardt and Grappelli could match -- and even surpass -- the improvised swing forged by their stateside contemporaries, a feat rarely achieved in the early days of European jazz. With the quality of these maiden QHCF sides, then, the pickings are plentiful. Alongside other finely remastered collections on JSP and Affinity, this and many other Classics volumes in the label's strict chronological series will probably be best appreciated by completists rather than survey-seeking newcomers. That said, the 22 tracks here contain some top performances, including such QHCF standouts as "You and the Night and the Music," "Ultrafox," and "Avalon." Also to be found are a some innocuous vocals by Jerry Mengo, a few cuts manned by New Orleans native and multi-instrumentalist Frank "Big Boy" Goudie, and plenty of Reinhardt and Grappelli's incredible playing. A nice addition to an already healthy catalog. Stephen Cook       Tracklist :

DJANGO REINHARDT – 1938-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 793 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Packed with three beautiful Reinhardt/Grappelli guitar/piano duets, one gorgeous unaccompanied guitar improvisation, 15 solid Quintet sides, and the legendary Rex Stewart "Feetwarmers" session of April 5, 1939, this excellent volume of chronologically reissued Django Reinhardt recordings occupies a position somewhere between "magnificent" and "essential." After a vigorous jam on "Them There Eyes" and a pleasantly swung "Three Little Words," intimations of developing modernity suddenly erupt during "Appel Direct," also known as "Appel Indirect" or "Direct Appeal." Django delivers some downright devilish picking during this brisk exercise in dexterity. Crossing the Channel for a return trip to England, Django and Stéphane's Quintette -- now billed as the "Quintet" on British and American Decca records -- waxed three sides on the 30th of August 1938. The French artists' vigilance and unwavering allegiance to Afro-American music is clearly spelled out in their choice of material. Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart had recorded possibly their most famous song, "Flat Foot Floogie," in February of 1938. Fats Waller & His Continental Rhythm waxed their four-alarm version in London a few months later on August 28, and the Quintet's mellower rendering, with an arresting solo guitar intro, was set down for posterity two days later, along with "Lambeth Walk," which had been recorded by Duke Ellington on August 9th. Django's unaccompanied "Improvisation No. 2" is a sequel to a similarly striking experiment dating from April of 1937. Back in Paris in March of 1939, the Quintet waxed nine more choice sides, taking on a whole stretch of Tin Pan Alley while presenting various compositions of their own devising. But the real treasure in this package lies among the final five tracks. Rex Stewart, Barney Bigard, and bassist Billy Taylor collaborated with Monsieur Reinhardt on five exquisite performances that rate among the finest in the entire "Djangologie." The combination of three seasoned Ellingtonians and one gypsy jazz genius is a rare treat not to be missed. arwulf arwulf     Tracklist :

STÉPHANE GRAPPELLY – 1935-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 708 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This Classics CD has all of the recordings made under violinist Stephane Grappelli's name during the 1935-1940 period. The earlier selections (with his Hot Four) match his violin with Django Reinhardt's guitar in what was essentially the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. There are also nine duets with Reinhardt; a couple find Grappelli switching to piano. The set concludes in 1940 with Grappelli (in London) leading an octet on two numbers that also feature the young pianist George Shearing. Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :