Reinhardt,Django Django On The Radio CD

This box collects most of the broadcast and concert recordings Django Reinhardt made in his last eight years, except the Rome sessions, available on JSP919. Reunions with Stephane Grappelli alternate with tryouts on the electric guitar and bebop. The post-war Django has lost none of his touch - the 1946 Duke Ellington concert was, on the evidence here, of a high standard. Django also emerges as a composer of stature, with a string of contemplative masterpieces. From the moment the Americans entered Paris during WW2, he was sought out. Visiting stars vied to play with him. He broadcast and recorded with the Air Transport Command big band - much of one disc is made up of radio transcripts with them. After the euphoria of the Liberation, however, work for Django was intermittent. One theme, though, was constant - a fortune awaited him in the US. He agreed to visit the US with Duke Ellington. Django just caught the last available US-bound boat with no baggage, no guitar. He believed that American guitar makers would compete to supply him with an instrument. They didn't. Eve so, everywhere the band went he was greeted as a hero. That can be detected in these live recordings. Django has got hold of an electric guitar, and is as skilful on it as he ever was. Ellington fields little more than a rhythm section - no more needed when the Frenchman is flying like this. When America tired of him, he took a ship back to France. Django quickly settled back into Parisian life. The material here sees him several times reunited with Grapelli and performing with a variety of European musicians. By 1953, engagements were again sporadic. Django was unwilling to perform for less than he thought he was worth. He had been raised to survive on next to nothing, so idleness was not the hardship that many would have found it. A somewhat raucous Tony Proteau session isn't a bad place to leave him. He was in his element with decent musicians and an appreciative audience.

1. Afn Title Sequence 2. Djangology 3. Honeysuckle Rose 4. Belleville 5. Uptown Blues 6. Moten Swing 7. Afn Closing Sequence 8. Belleville 9. Moten Swing 10. Don't Be That Way 11. Improvisation No. 6 12. Honeysuckle Rose 13. Uptown Blues 14. Djangology 15. Are You in the Mood? 16. Apple Honey 17. Ride Red Ride 18. Blues Riff 19. Improvisation No. 5 20. Honeysuckle Rose 21. Swing Guitars 22. Babik 23. Blues en Mineur 24. This Kind of Friend 25. Nuages 26. Viper's Dream 27. Blues Clair 28. Minor Swing 29. Swing 41 30. Swing 39 31. Del Salle 32. Les Yeux Noirs 33. Louise 34. Reverie 35. Swingtime in Springtime 36. Stockholm 37. Feerie 38. Vendredi 13 39. Sweet Chorus 40. Crepescule 41. Songe D'automne 42. I Love You for Sentimental Reasons 43. Just One of Those Things 44. Billets Doux 45. Porto Cabello 46. Swing Dynamique 47. Lover Man 48. Rythm Futur 49. Artillerie Lourde 50. Peche a la Mouche 51. Belleville 52. Souce Ambiance 53. Swing de Paris 54. I Can't Give You Anything But Love 55. It Had to Be You 56. September Song 57. Manoir de Mes Reves 58. Melodie Au Crepescule 59. Dinette 60. Folie a Amphion 61. Place de Brouckere 62. Symphonie 63. Improvisation Sur la Danse Norwegienne 64. St Louis Blues 65. Ol' Man River 66. R-Vingt-Six 67. How High the Moon 68. Swing Guitars 69. I Love You 70. Tiger Rag 71. Tears 72. Dinah 73. Them There Eyes 74. Daphne 75. How High the Moon 76. Manoir de Mes Reves 77. Danse Nuptiale 78. Crazy Rhythm 79. Improvisation No. 5 80. Moppin' the Bride 81. Troublant Bolero 82. Cadillac Slim 83. Nuages 84. Improvisation Sur Un Theme Mineur 85. Improvisation Sur Une Danse Norwegienne 86. Festival 48 87. Minor Swing 88. Symphonie 89. Troublant Bolero 90. Lover 91. Nuages 92. Impromptu 93. Margie 94. Diminushing Blackness 95. Dream of You 96. Manoir de Mes Reves 97. Jumpin' with Symphony Sid 98. I Can't Give You Anything But Love 99. Yesterdays 100. Lover 101. Blues 102. Time After Time 103. Blues 104. Jam Session (Fine and Dandy)