Django Reinhardt The Electric Sessions

The Gitanes label has taken it upon itself to reissue on CD some of the late work of gypsy jazz giant Django Reinhardt. The tracks that make up Nuits de Saint-Germain des-Prés come from three Decca sessions dating from May of 1951 to January 1953, the final year of his life. The title comes from the reopening of the infamous club Saint-Germain des-Prés, whose reopening coincided with Reinhardt showing off his bop chops to a host of notable American jazzmen, including Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge, Charlie Parker, Don Byas, and others. The bands on all of these sessions are comprised of Young Turks, most notably a youthful Pierre Michelot on bass. The other constants are drummer Pierre Lemarchand and Hubert Fol on clarinets and saxophone; the latter's brother Raymond is the pianist on two of these sessions…

The last years of his life marks a total renewal of the music of Django Reinhardt. The reopening of the Club Saint Germain, in February 1951, and the rapprochement with the new wave of French jazz (saxophonist Hubert Fol head) inaugurate a new creative period in the career of guitarist, rich in metamorphoses. A personal journey continued for several years, including the revolution bebop, combined with the talent of a new generation of musicians (pianists Raymond Fol, Maurice Vander, Martial Solal, bassist Pierre Michelot…), leads to a flamboyant work. New sounds marked by the opulence of the electric guitar. New melodies (Nights of Saint-Germain des Pres, Golden Arrow, Anouman…) and new (s) form (s) Instrumental (s), responding to the canons of modern jazz.Bringing together all the studio sessions and live recordings known this period, fully remastered, this 3CD box set offers the ultimate fulfillment of the route of the great Gypsy.

Hungarian guitarist Elek Bacisk is a cousin of Django Reinhardt, and has continued his tradition of blending swing and gypsy elements into a coherent, expressive jazz mode.
On his first leadership album, The Electric Guitar of the Eclectic Elek Bacsik, later released as Jazz Guitarist, he was joined by two different bassists and drummers over the two recording sessions: on the first, he was backed by Pierre Michelot (bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums). On the second session, Bacsik recorded with Michel Gaudry (bass) and Daniel Humair (drums).

Christian Escoude Octet - Gipsy Waltz (1989) {EmArcy 838 772-2}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 283 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 110 Mb
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© 1989 EmArcy / Phonogram France | 838 772-2
Jazz / Modern Creative / Gipsy Jazz / Guitar

Christian Escoude combines elements of gypsy jazz, bop, and a contemporary flavor during these 1989 sessions that also include fellow guitarists Paul Challin Ferret, Jimmy Gourley, Frederic Sylvestre, accordion player Marcel Azzla, cellist Vincent Courtois, bassist Alby Cullaz, and either Billy Hart or Philippe Combelle on drums. The presence of so many players sometimes muddies the sound, especially when Azzla is too prominent in the mix. Several of the works were written by Escoude's late uncle, the popular accordion player/composer Gus Viseur, who had worked with Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli in the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, though the switch to electric guitars and addition of percussion indicates this is not your father's gypsy music.

Hungarian guitarist Elek Bacisk is a cousin of Django Reinhardt, and has continued his tradition of blending swing and gypsy elements into a coherent, expressive jazz mode. Bacisk initially studied classical violin and played gypsy songs in Budapest, then switched to jazz guitar. As a teen, he recorded in a band with alto saxophonist Geza Szabo and trumpeter Jozsef Quitter, then later toured Europe with Mihaly Tabanyi's band. Bacisk moved to Paris in 1959, and through the early and mid-'60s recorded and played with visiting American musicians, among them Art Simmons, Quentin Jackson, Lou Bennett and Dizzy Gillespie. He also did sessions heading his own bands. Bacsik came to America in 1966, and worked from 1967-1974 with Teresa Brewer before cutting his own sessions. He appeared at the 1974 Newport Jazz Festival and 1984 Olympic Games Jazz Festival in Los Angeles.

An artist steeped in Southern roots music of all sorts, Jimbo Mathus first earned attention as one of the founders of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, who became an unlikely success when their skewed take on vintage hot jazz, "Hell," became a modern rock hit in 1996…

Nels Cline - Angelica (1987) {Enja ENJ-9577-2 rel 2011}
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© 1987, 2011 Enja Records | ENJ-9577-2
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Modern Creative / Post Bop / Guitar

Released in semi-obscurity 25 years ago (2012), Angelica was American guitarist Nels Cline’s first date as leader and shows a remarkable maturity. Cline is better known these days as guitarist with Chicago hipsters Wilco, and there are few modern musicians who can run with the jazz hare and hunt with the rock hounds with such ease. This well-deserved reissue is a chance to hear where the young guitarist’s head was at and is notable also for an unusually consonant contribution from saxophonist Tim Berne – now undisputed heavyweight champion of New York’s downtown scene, then barely out of his 30s.

Tasteful, low-key, and ingratiatingly melodic, Charlie Byrd had two notable accomplishments to his credit – applying acoustic classical guitar techniques to jazz and popular music and helping to introduce Brazilian music to mass North American audiences…