Mark Twigden - Jazz Manouche - A Retrospective (2014)

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Mark Twigden - Jazz Manouche - A Retrospective (2014)

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Acoustic Jazz Manouche, Gypsy Jazz, Swing Jazz and Latin Jazz featuring acoustic Selmer-style gypsy guitar, Bb clarinet, acoustic double bass and male vocalist. The music stems from a traditional form of jazz popularised by Django Reinhardt since 1939.

A collection of songs comprising not only the popular, enduring successes of great composers but, equally of importance, it pays homage to guitarists who have established and furthered the genre known as Jazz Manouche. It is by sole virtue of a jazz improvisor's interpretation of a popular melody, and by each conveying their own story as a personalised ‘solo’, that such works have evolved.

These songs represent a small part of the legacy started by the founding father of the genre - Jean 'Django' Reinhardt (1910 - 1953). His melodic statements, valued both for compositional and stylistic innovation, are represented in Swing 42, Shine, Melodie Au Crepuscule, Clair De Lune, I'll See You In My Dreams, Time On My Hands, Moonglow and Nagasaki. Although not recorded by Reinhardt personally, his traditional waltz entitled Chez Jacquet is attributed here to a recorded performance by friend and notorious guitar rival Pierre 'Barrio' Ferret (1908 - 1978). The work remains recognised in Django's honour.

The principal guitar part of Russian Lullaby is equally attributed to the inspired work of Argentine cavaquinho player and guitarist Oscar Aleman who knew Django well.

More recent gypsy songs like Veish A No Drom, Tchavolo Swing, Bolero Triste and Made In France surely have the hallmarks of the first generation players. Credit for what is largely the remaining content in this retrospective is very much attributed to their ideas and energetic performances. Please consider checking out Fapy Lafertin, Stochelo Rosenberg, Biréli Lagrène, Dorado Schmitt, Tchavolo Schmitt, Rocky Gresset, Thomas Dutronc and Adrien Moignard. These guitarists, along with others equally worthy, notoriously carry the flame, the tradition of this culture and its music.