Personnel: Django Reinhardt (guitar); Freddy Taylor (vocals, trumpet); Guy Paquinet (vocals, trombone); Maurice Chailou (vocals, drums); Germaine Sablon, Pierre Lord, Bruce Boyce, Nane Cholet, Jean Sablon, Jean Tranchant, Jerry Mengo (vocals); Joseph Reinhardt, Oscar Alem?n, Roger Chaput (guitar); Michel Warlop, St?phane Grappelli (violin); Maurice Cizeron (flute, clarinet, alto saxophone); Charles Lisee, Andy Foster (clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Andre Ekyan (clarinet, alto saxophone); Frank "Big Boy" Goudie (clarinet, tenor saxophone, trumpet); Fletcher Allen, Alix Combelle (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Charles "Coco" Kiehn (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Alphonse Cox, Charlie Johnson & His Orchestra, Gaston Lapeyronnie, Alex Renard, Noel Chiboust, Pierre Allier, Arthur Briggs (trumpet); Pierre Deck, Rene Weis (trombone); Jean Chabaud, Emil Stern (piano); Roger Chomer (vibraphone); William Diemer (drums).
Liner Note Author: Daniel Nevers.
Recording information: Studio Pathe - 79, Paris, France (03/06/1935-09/27/1935); Studio Pathe, Paris, France (03/06/1935-09/27/1935); Studio Ultraphone, Paris, France (03/06/1935-09/27/1935).
Author: St?phane Grappelli.
Arrangers: Guy Paquinet; Stan Bowsher; Fletcher Allen.
Django Reinhardt best-of collections are fairly easy to come by, and if all you want is a nice, manageable assortment of instrumentals that show off his amazing technique, go for it: you've got a hefty selection of samplers to choose from. Fremeaux & Associes' 20-volume, 40-disc Integrale Django Reinhardt series, on the other hand, exists as a detailed chronological map of his recording activity over a quarter-century, including virtually all of his work as sideman and accompanist. Volume three focuses on nearly seven months out of the year 1935, a busy time for Reinhardt. This portion of his discography is heavily sprinkled with vocals, some of which sound very French, like suave Pierre Lord, Nane Cholet, and her husband Jean Tranchant, or the brother-sister team of Jean & Germaine Sablon. More distinctly English/American-sounding vocals are credited to Jerry Mengo (who sounds like young Eddie Condon on "Sweet Sue"); elegant Hildegarde Sell; Bruce Boyce, whose theatrical delivery on "Run Mary/Didn't It Rain" suggests a bit of operatic training, and members of Freddy Taylor's orchestra who faithfully intone most if not all of the words to "Swanee River," a minstrel song by Stephen Foster published in 1851 as "The Old Folks at Home." Eight selections credited to Patrick & His Orchestra are said to have been the last ever recorded by that short-lived big band which operated under the leadership of trombonist Guy Paquinet. This delightful grab bag of Parisian jazz and pop is marbled through with excellent work by Le Quintette du Hot Club de France, and satisfying contributions from saxophonists Alix Combelle and Frank "Big Boy" Goudie. ~ arwulf arwulf
