Django: The Life and Music of a Gypsy Legend

Django Reinhardt was arguably the greatest guitarist who ever lived, a significant influence on the likes of Les Paul, Charlie Christian, B.B. King, Jerry Garcia, Chet Atkins, and countless others. Yet, a comprehensive biography of Reinhardt has been notably absent. Now, in Django, Michael Dregni offers the definitive portrait of this exceptional guitarist.

Handsome, charismatic, childlike, and utterly unpredictable, Reinhardt was a figure straight out of a picaresque novel. Born in a gypsy caravan at a crossroads in Belgium, he narrowly escaped death in a bizarre fire that severely burned half his body and left his left hand permanently twisted into a claw. However, with this seemingly debilitating left hand dancing over the frets and his right hand plucking with astonishing speed, Django became Europe's most celebrated jazz musician, commanding exorbitant fees – and spending his earnings just as quickly as he acquired them.

Dregni not only chronicles this remarkably colourful life – including a fascinating exploration of gypsy culture – but also illuminates Django's extraordinary musicianship. He examines his enduring musical partnership with violinist Stéphane Grappelli – one suave and polished, the other sharper and more dissonant – and traces the evolution of their innovative string jazz ensemble, the Quintette du Hot Club de France. Indeed, the author spotlights Django's remarkable musical versatility, describing his swing-styled Nouveau Quintette, his big band Django's Music, and his later bebop ensemble, as well as his diverse compositions, including symphonic pieces influenced by Ravel and Debussy and his unfinished organ mass inspired by Bach.

Throughout the narrative, Dregni provides vivid snapshots of the vibrant jazz scene in Paris – offering colourful portraits of Josephine Baker, Bricktop, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, and numerous others – and recounts Django's vagabond wanderings across France, Europe, and the United States, where he toured with Duke Ellington. Capturing the extraordinary life and times of one of the twentieth century's true musical giants, Django is an essential portrait of a genuine original.