music clip of the day

In embracing music from another continent, this guy—a Gypsy born in Belgium who grew up near Paris—was way ahead of his time.

Django Reinhardt, January 23, 1910-May 16, 1953

Quintette du Hot Club de France

Live, “J’attendrai Swing,” 1939

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Live, “Echoes of France,” 1945

It’s something of a miracle that Django was able, physically, to make music at all. When he was eighteen, his left hand was badly injured in a fire, leaving his fourth and fifth fingers permanently curled toward the palm.

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lagniappe

Jazz attracted me because in it I found a formal perfection and instrumental precision that I admire in classical music, but which popular music doesn’t have.—Django Reinhardt

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With Duke Ellington (1939)