Groundbreaking Jazz guitarist, Biréli Lagrène, and Babik Reinhardt, son of guitar guru Django Reinhardt and a noted guitarist in his own right, pay musical tribute to the late Gypsy Jazz guitar legend with a blistering set of guitar duets in this special DVD entitled Django: A Jazz Tribute. Navigating the difficult guitar-duo format with palpable energy, passion and enthusiasm, Lagrène & Reinhardt create a poignant testimony to the legacy of a guitar genius.
Django Reinhardt was Jazz’s original Guitarist Extraordinaire, leading Europe’s first major-league Jazz band: The Hot Club of France, which also featured Stéphane Grappelli. The ecstatic applause at the opening of Django’s composition “Nuages” is proof that Django’s distinctive melodies are still instantly recognizable half-a-century after they originally captivated French audiences. This DVD features the two inheritors of the Reinhardt tradition. Impressing audiences with stylish melodies and an innate sense of swing, and even touring with Grappelli, the famed longtime partner to his idol Django Reinhardt, Biréli Lagrène became Europe’s heir apparent to Django, satisfying the swinging Hot-Club era fans longing for that classic sound.
“…remarkable performances…the quality of the playing and the interaction between the two participants will make you want to watch this one again and again.” – JazzTimes
This Jazz DVD homage to Django Reinhardt, entitled Django: A Jazz Tribute, featuring Babik Reinhardt and Biréli Lagrène playing selections such as Bireli’s Original, Nuages, Action, and Bacara, and is simultaneously a testimony to the legacy of a guitar genius and a showcase of the unprecedented expressive range of the instrument in Jazz today.