Verve Jazz Masters 38

Verve Jazz Masters (Series), Django Reinhardt | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 8, 1994)
• Original Release Date: November 8, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B0000046O9
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,141 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #38 in Music > World Music > Europe > Eastern Europe > Gypsy
  • #38 in Music > Jazz > European Jazz

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well chosen collection on a single CD, August 24, 2001

By 

Mark (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verve Jazz Masters 38 (Audio CD)

This is an excellent sampling of recordings by Django Reinhardt. The tracks vary quite a bit in sound quality since they were taken from various sessions between 1938 and 1953 and also due to the quality of the sources. Nuages is the first track probably only because it's one of the most famous Django tunes, but the quality of the audio is not as good as many other tracks (so don't be put off by it). Even if the original sound engineers were not capturing the full tone of Django's guitar, you can hear all the notes he played! To say this man was a pioneer in jazz guitar seems an understatement. His playing is at times lightning quick, and yet always very lyrical and moving. But not only do you get Django, you also get Stephane Grappelli on most songs. Grappelli's violin adds much depth to these tunes, he is an astonishing player in his own right. This collection showcases the interplay between Reinhardt and Grappelli very nicely. As if that weren't enough, tracks 14 and 15 feature Hubert Rostaing on clarinet and add still more depth to an excellent CD. The booklet includes the personnel and recording dates for every track and some nice "liner notes".

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars haunting sweet jazz from another time, another world, October 28, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verve Jazz Masters 38 (Audio CD)

I first heard django reinhardt as the soundtrack to a beautiful and unusual movie by comic book artist David Keen called "The Week Before" and was obsessed with finding this artist's recordings. The ethereal guitar and angelic but jazzy stylings are haunting and sad yet euphoric--its like hearing the Cocteau Twins for the first time, filtered through a time machine. I am going to be a lifelong fan and have started collecting all his recordings. I just want to dump all my "new swing" CDs in the trash now. . . .

5.0 out of 5 stars Remembering a great gypsy gutar player, July 26, 2005

By 

Oswald Placeres "Mr. Pleasures" (The Balkans) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Verve Jazz Masters 38 (Audio CD)

If you have gypsy blood like me in your veins, this CD is a must for your collection.
Unfortunately Django left us in May 16, 1953. Five months later in October 31, 1953 I was born. What a shame, I never saw him
play live in concert, I would probably had collected all his albums. Although this CD was a starting point for me to hear the genius of this great gypsy (Roma) jazz guitar player, I find this CD fascinating, and it brings the gypsy out me. Buy it. Explore, listen to Django and Stephen Gruapelli and the rest of the guys that are included here too. This is the roots of gypsy jazz!