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Harmonious Wail
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Harmonious Wail: Resist Temptation
by C. Michael Bailey
Django Reinhardt is often overlooked as one of the seminal figures in jazz. Jazz, a uniquely American art, became international in the hands of Reinhardt and his partner in crime, French violinist Stephane Grappelli. Reinhardt's jazz was colorful, natural, and spontaneous. As a trend setter, Reinhardt gave birth to many gypsy jazz" combos, one of the best being the quartet, Harmonious Wail.
When Harmonious Wail was first reviewed on this website, with their release Gypsy Swing (Naxos World, 2003), the ...
read moreHarmonious Wail: Gypsy Swing
by C. Michael Bailey
It is fairly impossible to discuss "gypsy swing" without discussing Django Reinhardt. The two entities are synonymous. Reinhardt, along with violinist cohort Stephane Grappelli, made a significant contribution to the development of American jazz with their Quintet du Hot club de France. The music, produced between the 1930s and 1950s, was firmly grounded in the American swing tradition and incorporated many of the folk elements from France and Belgium. One cannot listen to this music and not be transported to ...
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