Django Reinhardt Paris & London 1937-48

I don't think this box set from JSP has received the attention and accolades it deserves, so I'm going to add a review of my own, having just recently acquired it after hesitating to buy it for several years. First, if you particularly enjoy the last disc of JSP's Classic Early Recordings box set, you're going to love Volume 2. This set picks up right where the Classic Early Recordings set left off, in 1937, and includes some of the best recordings by the original QHCF of which I'm aware ("Minor Swing," etc.). Most of the first disc and a few tracks on the second disc is vintage Django and Stephane, each playing "in the pocket"--at a creative and energetic peak even for these outstanding musicians. In the middle, we get some amazing recordings of Django in different settings and interesting arrangements, including, particularly, with the excellent clarinetist Hubert Rostaing, who reminds me a little of Benny Goodman. Then, to finish the set, we get to enjoy some recordings Django and Stephane made after being reunited after WWII. In my opinion, some of Django's best recordings of his career are found in JSP's Volume 2: Paris and London 1937-1948.Second, if you've hesitated to buy this set because of negative reviews you've seen regarding it being a "rip" of a portion of the long-out-of-print and very expensive Mosaic box, having inferior sound quality, not having been remastered by Ted Kendall like the other JSP box sets, etc., I urge you to listen to on-line samples wherever you can find them (it's disappointing that there are none here as of this writing) and judge for yourself. The package doesn't say that Ted Kendall remastered these recordings, so he probably didn't, but most tracks on Volume 2 sound excellent to my ears, and I'm fairly picky about remastering. If JSP sourced these tracks from somewhere else, it's just as likely that they were taken from Chronological Classics' releases (also long out of print and expensive now). The remastering, especially of Disc A, actually reminds me of some 1937 recordings I've heard on Chronological Classics, and it's excellent for recordings from that era. Surface noise is not that noticeable in most tracks, but it doesn't sound to me as though anyone got heavy handed with noise reduction, rendering the recordings muddy or "dark." On the contrary, there's plenty of treble (high-frequency content) in JSP's Volume 2. In short, I disagree with the reviewers here and elsewhere on the Internet who have complained about the sound quality of this box set. There are a very few tracks that sound obviously "scratchy," but in most cases those are alternate takes, and there's another take (often just before or just after the alternate take in the track order) that sounds great (check out, e.g., "Bolero" and "Mabel"). The same thing occurs in the Classic Early Recordings set a few times. There are a few scratchy sounding alternates in that set, too.I highly recommend this set to anyone who loves The Classic Early Recordings set. To me, Volume 2 is just as essential for Django Reinhardt fans. Highly recommended.

I certainly agree with the other reviewers about the music here being terrific. I also favor the small ensemble work rather than the larger aggregations. After all, there's more Django in the small arrangements.But I do have to comment on the sound quality. One of the remarkable things about the first installment of this set (the 5 CD box) is its sound. Engineer Ted Kendall did a sterling job of collecting the best quality sources and then cutting as little as possible from the output to give us the music. By contrast, this set is far less impressive. There is much less depth to the bass and the high end has been truncated a bit too in the interest of getting rid of surface noise.It is because of the sound that I give this set three stars (and really would give it three and one-half if there was that option).

Follow the career of Gypsy Jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and his violinist friend Stephane Grappelli through WWII. This amazing music will have you tapping and bopping!I heard of Gypsy Jazz first in Montreal, where French Jazz has its own music bistros. My daughter, Hua Wen, a jazz tenor sax player, had started taking guitar lessons, learning jazz theory. Her teacher is a big fan of Django's music and now it is being introduced to all her young jazz set!European jazz has an American flavor but also the irresistible romantic qualities of the music of the Roma people, thanks to Django. Treat yourself!

this is a 4-CD set .. the best CDs are the middle two .. these are really terrific .. the first and last CDs are not as good .. the first i have trouble listening to [particularly the version of Bolero which i have to skip over] .. the last CD is OK and pleasant, but not of the calibre of CDs 2, 3

For someone like me who loves every note Django Reinhardt ever played this 4-CD collection and another 5-CD set also available on Amazon, "Django Reinhardt: The Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order," are the Holy Grail. Between the two sets I can load up the CD player with 9 discs and listen to this most unbelievable of all guitar players show off for hours at a time.There is more swing, more fun, and more incredible guitar playing on these discs than you'll ever hear anywhere else.Even though they contain no lengthy linear notes, 'free booklets,' posters, etc., these are, without a doubt, the greatest multi-disc box sets I have ever heard.

a great artist and outstanding jazz

Excellent continuation of music from Mr. Reinhardt. Solid sounding given where copies needed to be culled from.

I have learned to love the music of Django Reinhardt, and am delighted to have this addition to my collection.

This is an excellent 4CD set of Django Reinhardt at a reasonable price.The sound is good throughout and the selection of tracks is comprehensive.If you're looking for a Django Reinhardt collection, this is a very worthwhile option.No hesitation recommending this one.

２００１年発表、イギリスの音響技師テッド・ケンドールによるリマスタリング処理が素晴らしいボックス・セット・シリーズの第２作、前作が１９９２年・５枚組セットの"The Classic Early Recordings In Chronological Order"、第３作が２００３年・４枚組の"Django In Rome 1949/1950"、ちなみにジャンゴは１９５３年に４３歳で心臓麻痺で死去しており、５０年代の録音を集めた第４作の発売もファンとしては期待したいところです、このシリーズはほんとうに良い音です、このシリーズにかぎらず２０世紀中頃のまだＳＰ盤時代の作品をリマスタリング処理したＣＤの音の良さに接してしまうと最近のＤＤＤ工程で製作されたＣＤの味気なさを再認識させられます、もしかしたら２１世紀半ばにＣＤが店頭から消えてしまってもレコード盤だけはきっと売られ続けるだろうなと妙は想像もよぎります、本ボックスは通常のＣＤケース４枚をカートン（厚紙製の簡易箱）に収納した廉価盤、ボックス・シリーズ３箱で代表曲３００曲を編年体でたどれます、コスト・フォーマンスのきわめて高い商品ですべての音楽ファンに奨めます、「ジャンゴロジー」１枚とそれほど違わない価格でこのボリュームなので始めてジャンゴのＣＤ購入を検討している人にも自信をもって推薦します、１０００曲に届くほどの録音を残したらしいジャンゴの音源コンプリートを目指すファン向けには別な会社から１枚ＣＤで編年体で編集されたものが発売されています、

グラッペリばかり有名なのですが、私はロスタンのクラが好きで買ってみました。が、しかし、ほとんどはグラッペリで残念でした。

This set contains probably my favourite solo guitar piece 'Echoes Of Spain'. These pieces were in the main recorded in occupied France and the Clarinet of Hubert Rostaing is a welcome change to Grappelli playing violin. This set is a welcome addition to the Django Reinhardt recordings