Django Reinhardt

Django Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953) was a Belgian-born Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He is regarded as one of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century. Reinhardt invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique (sometimes called 'hot' jazz guitar) that has since become a living musical tradition within French Gypsy culture. With violinist Stéphane Grappelli, Reinhardt co-founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France, a group described as "one of the most original bands in the history of recorded jazz".

Early life

Reinhardt was born on 23 January 1910 in Liberchies, Pont-à-Celles, Belgium, into a Belgian family of Manouche, a Romani ethnicity. At the age of 12 he received a banjo-guitar as a gift. He quickly learned to play, mimicking the fingerings of musicians he watched.

Career

Reinhardt's most popular compositions have become jazz standards, including "Minor Swing", "Daphne", "Belleville", "Djangology", "Swing '42", and "Nuages". His music was reinterpreted by many jazz and popular music artists, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Willie Nelson.

Death and legacy

Reinhardt died suddenly of a stroke at the age of 43. Today, Django Reinhardt's music continues to be played and celebrated by musicians and aficionados around the world.

See also

• Gypsy jazz
• Romani music
• List of jazz guitarists

External links

• Official Django Reinhardt website

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  Django Reinhardt playing guitar

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  Django Reinhardt portrait by Studio Harcourt (1944)

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  Django Reinhardt and Duke Ellington

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  Django Reinhardt commemorative plaque in Samois

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  30th Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois-sur-Seine