Venuti-Lang and Grappelli-Reinhardt inspired swing from the 1930s featuring guitar and violin

19 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Gypsy Jazz, JAZZ: Ragtime

Details:
Initially inspired by the guitar-violin duets of Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti, Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli developed a distinctive group sound for the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, with lead and two rhythm guitars, violin, and bass.

The album "License To Swing" continues that tradition featuring the jazz violin and the guitar.

Original tunes and classics from the 1930s and later form a charming and danceable collection of songs appealing to all age groups.

John Reynolds picked up the banjo at the age of 11 and played it throughout high school in various dixieland and jug band groups. His focus shifted to the guitar after he heard Eddie Lang on the 1926 Jean Goldkette recording of "Sunday." His enthusiasm for the instrument reached new heights when he discovered the recordings of Django Reinhardt. He studied with George Smith (of the Paramount Studio Orchestra; Eddie Lang's sub when Bing Crosby needed an accompanist). Reynolds and Crawford first met at Disneyland in 1978. He is the grandson of the early Hollywood star and character actress, Zazu Pitts.

Benny Brydern studied violin and piano at the Richard-Strauss Academy of Music in Munich. He was invited to the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival to perform in the Festival Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Bernstein in 1988. He returned to the Festival in 1990 for the TV series "Orchestra!" hosted by Sir Georg Solti and Dudley Moore. Benedikt composed the music for Jon Voight's Award-winning film "The Tin Soldier", the Miramax Documentary "Rhyme & Reason" and several other films.
He frequently performs with Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys, Dean Mora Modern Rhythmists, Marie MacGillis Model Millionaires and other vintage ensembles.

People who are interested in Django should consider this download.