Django Reinhardt

Lore & Background

Reinhardt was born into a French family of Manouche Romani descent. His father, Jean Eugène Weiss, used his wife's surname to avoid conscription. Reinhardt spent most of his youth in Romani encampments near Paris, learning violin, banjo, and guitar. He was largely self-taught and received little formal education. At age 17, he married Florine 'Bella' Mayer according to Romani custom. In 1928, a fire in his caravan severely burned his left hand; doctors believed he would never play guitar again. He retaught himself using primarily his index and middle fingers, using the injured ring and little fingers only for chord work.

After parting from his wife, Reinhardt traveled with his girlfriend Sophie Ziegler. Introduced to American jazz through a friend's record collection, he met violinist Stéphane Grappelli in 1931. In 1934, they formed the Quintette du Hot Club de France with bassist Louis Vola and guitarists Joseph Reinhardt and Roger Chaput. The group became one of the few well-known jazz ensembles composed only of stringed instruments. Reinhardt recorded with American musicians including Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter, and toured the United States with Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1946.

Reader's Guide

Reinhardt's significance lies in his role as one of the first major jazz talents in Europe and a key exponent of the genre there. The Quintette du Hot Club de France, featuring guitar as a lead instrument, created a distinctive string-based jazz sound that influenced generations. His compositions, such as 'Minor Swing', 'Daphne', and 'Nuages', became standards within gypsy jazz. Despite a severe hand injury from a fire, he adapted his technique and continued performing. The jazz guitarist Frank Vignola stated that nearly every major popular music guitarist has been influenced by Reinhardt. Annual Django festivals are held throughout Europe and the U.S., and a biography has been written about his life. In February 2017, the Berlin International Film Festival held the world premiere of the French biographical film Django, based on his life.

Did You Know?

• Reinhardt's nickname 'Django' may be Romani for 'I awake' or a diminutive of 'Jean'.
• He suffered burns over half his body in a 1928 caravan fire and refused amputation of his right leg.
• His son Lousson Reinhardt became an accomplished musician and recorded with him.