LE QUINTETTE À CORDES / 1946-47 / LA MARSEILLAISE

Description

The retrospective of Django Reinhardt's work, released as a series of box sets between 2015 and 2022, has become a benchmark collection praised by the press (Choc Jazz Magazine, Must TSF Jazz...), offering the best of Django with the best sound. Discover the quintessence of this work through this vinyl series, benefiting from exceptional sound quality thanks to the remastering work carried out. Six years had passed since the declaration of war in 1939. Six years during which Django and Stéphane could not play together, as the violinist had remained in London. At the end of the world conflict, the idea of reforming the famous String Quintet naturally arose. The two friends thus reunited in London – where Stéphane had since taken up residence – at the end of January 1946. Since the regular accompanists of the Quintet could not obtain their visas in time, an English rhythm section was called upon for the sessions on January 31 and February 1, 1946. It would bring suppleness and lightness to the music of the two virtuosos. In the Abbey Road studios, Charles Delaunay sought to recreate the magic of Django and Stéphane's reunion. Indeed, two days earlier, the national anthem had spontaneously flowed from their fingers in a moment of immediate communion. This unforgettable version of La Marseillaise (Échos de France) was thus recorded, although its broadcast unfortunately remained forbidden on French airwaves for too many years! The program is notably completed by Django's new compositions, which emerged during the war years: Mélodie au crépuscule, Belleville and, of course, Nuages, which the violinist and guitarist recorded together for the first time. The following year, the Quintet reformed in Paris, this time with Joseph Reinhardt and Eugène Vées on guitars (Django's brother and first cousin, respectively) and Fred Ermelin on double bass. On November 21, 1947, during a session for Radio Diffusion Française, the group's cohesion was at its peak, captured live with a rare sonic presence. A state of grace beautifully illustrated by R-Vingt-Six, a recent creation of the two acolytes performed on this occasion.