Django Reinhardt: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Django Reinhardt built a European jazz language out of American records heard secondhand, Parisian musette dance halls, and the Romani string tradition he was raised in — all played with two working fretting fingers after a 1928 caravan fire. This mix traces the records that reached him in Paris, the accordion world he apprenticed in, the classical repertoire he chased late in life, and the guitarists who have been unable to escape him since.

The Kynda mix for Django Reinhardt

• Key Influence · West End Blues by Louis Armstrong (1928). The founding conversion story: Django heard Armstrong records in Toulon around 1931 through painter Émile Savitry, who played him discs by Armstrong and Ellington, and reportedly wept, calling Armstrong 'my brother.' Until then he was a banjo accompanist in musette bands. Armstrong's opening cadenza on West End Blues modelled the idea Django built a career on — a single unaccompanied melodic voice ruling an ensemble, phrasing far ahead of the beat.
• Influencia Obscura · Griserie by Jean Vaissade (1928). Before jazz there was bal-musette. Django's earliest commercial recordings, made as a teenager, were as banjo accompanist to accordionists in the Parisian dance-hall trade, Jean Vaissade among them — credited on label as 'Jiango Renard.' That apprenticeship explains the relentless chugging pompe rhythm, the waltz forms he kept returning to, and the melodic sentimentality that separates his jazz from anything recorded in Chicago.
• Local Roots · Flambée montalbanaise by Gus Viseur (1940). Viseur was the accordionist who dragged Parisian musette toward swing in the same clubs and studios Django worked, sometimes sharing sidemen with the Hot Club circle. The tune became a standard of the repertoire Django's Romani successors still play nightly, and it maps the exact seam this mix keeps returning to: French dance music and American jazz fusing in the bals and cabarets of interwar Paris.
• Beyond the Medium · Clair de lune by Claude Debussy (1905). Django, who never learned to read music, grew increasingly preoccupied with European art music in his last years — Debussy and Ravel above all — and his late compositions and postwar electric recordings lean on whole-tone and modal colour rather than blues changes. The impressionist harmonic palette is audible in Nuages and Manoir de mes rêves, and in his unfinished ambition to write a Mass for the Romani.
• Peer · Solo Flight by Charlie Christian (1941). The other man who made the guitar a jazz lead voice, working the opposite side of the Atlantic and the electric/acoustic divide. Christian admired Django's records with the Benny Goodman circle aware of them, and after Christian's amplified breakthrough Django himself switched to electric guitar in the late forties, chasing the sustain and bebop phrasing this recording made the new standard for every guitarist alive.
• From the Canon · Nuages by Django Reinhardt (1940). Recorded under German occupation with Hubert Rostaing's clarinet replacing Grappelli's violin, it became an unofficial anthem of wartime France and Django's most enduring composition. The chromatic descending line and impressionist harmony show the composer rather than the showman, and the clarinet quintet configuration documents how he rebuilt his band when the Hot Club's founding partnership was stranded in London.
• Key Collaborator · Menuhin & Grappelli Play Gershwin by Stéphane Grappelli & Yehudi Menuhin (1973). Grappelli co-founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France with Django in 1934 and was his indispensable foil for a decade until the war separated them in London. He outlived him by forty-four years, carrying the string-jazz idiom worldwide; these duets with Menuhin show the elegance and rhythmic elasticity that made the original guitar-violin dialogue work, now set against a classical virtuoso.
• Legacy · Routes to Django by Biréli Lagrène (1980). Lagrène, a Sinti guitarist from Alsace, recorded this as a teenager and was immediately hailed as Django's heir — the album title states the debt outright. He carried the manouche tradition forward into fusion and bebop while remaining its most technically formidable custodian, and his career is the clearest proof that Django's style survived as a living inherited practice among Romani families in France.

What influenced Django Reinhardt

• Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong's music was among influences that introduced Reinhardt to jazz. (also via West End Blues) “he was introduced to American jazz by an acquaintance, Émile Savitry, whose record collection included such musical luminaries as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, and Lonnie Johnson.” (Wikipedia)
• West End Blues by Louis Armstrong (1928). West End Blues (Louis Armstrong) — titan for Django Reinhardt “After having played a broad spectrum of music, he was introduced to American jazz by an acquaintance, Émile Savitry, whose record collection included such musical luminaries as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, and…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Joe Venuti. Venuti's violin style is cited as anticipating/influencing Reinhardt-Grappelli's sound. (also via Stringing the Blues) “The swinging sound of Venuti's jazz violin and Eddie Lang's virtuoso guitar-playing anticipated the more famous sound of Reinhardt and Grappelli's later ensemble.” (Wikipedia)
• Eddie Lang. Eddie Lang's guitar playing is cited as anticipating/influencing Reinhardt's style. (also via Stringing the Blues, Two Tone Stomp) “The swinging sound of Venuti's jazz violin and Eddie Lang's virtuoso guitar-playing anticipated the more famous sound of Reinhardt and Grappelli's later ensemble.” (Wikipedia)
• Lonnie Johnson. Lonnie Johnson's music was among the recordings that introduced Reinhardt to jazz. (also via Two Tone Stomp) “whose record collection included such musical luminaries as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, and Lonnie Johnson” (Wikipedia)
• Maury Deutsch. The article identifies Reinhardt as a pupil of Deutsch. “he continued his musical education, begun in the 1930s, studying with Maury Deutsch , who could also count Django Reinhardt and Charlie Parker among his pupils.” (Wikipedia)
• Creole Love Call by Duke Ellington (1927). Creole Love Call (Duke Ellington) — titan for Django Reinhardt “Reinhardt recorded in France with many visiting American musicians, including Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter, and briefly toured the United States with Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1946.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Griserie by Jean Vaissade (1928). Griserie (Jean Vaissade) — ghost for Django Reinhardt “On these recordings, made in 1928, Reinhardt plays the "banjo" (actually the banjo-guitar) accompanying the accordionists Maurice Alexander, Jean Vaissade and Victor Marceau, and the singer Maurice Chaumel.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Clair de lune by Claude Debussy (1905). Clair de lune (Claude Debussy) — culture for Django Reinhardt (musicbrainz.org)
• Boléro by Maurice Ravel (1928). Boléro (Maurice Ravel) — culture for Django Reinhardt (musicbrainz.org)
• Stringing the Blues by Joe Venuti & Eddie Lang (1927). Stringing the Blues (Joe Venuti & Eddie Lang) — titan for Django Reinhardt
• Two Tone Stomp by Lonnie Johnson & Eddie Lang (1928). Two Tone Stomp (Lonnie Johnson & Eddie Lang) — ghost for Django Reinhardt
• Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1730). Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 (Johann Sebastian Bach) — culture for Django Reinhardt

Peers and kindred spirits

• Coleman Hawkins. Reinhardt recorded with Coleman Hawkins. (also via Body and Soul) “Reinhardt recorded in France with many visiting American musicians, including Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter” (Wikipedia)
• Rex Stewart. Reinhardt recorded with Rex Stewart. (also via Boy Meets Horn) “Reinhardt also played and recorded with many American jazz musicians, such as Adelaide Hall, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, and Rex Stewart (who later stayed in Paris).” (Wikipedia)
• Solo Flight by Charlie Christian (1941). Solo Flight (Charlie Christian) — peer for Django Reinhardt “The pioneering French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt had little influence on him, but he was familiar with some of Reinhardt's recordings.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Body and Soul by Coleman Hawkins (1939). Body and Soul (Coleman Hawkins) — peer for Django Reinhardt “Reinhardt recorded in France with many visiting American musicians, including Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter, and briefly toured the United States with Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1946.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Stéphane Grappelli. Establishes Reinhardt and Grappelli's musical partnership founding the Quintette. (also via Menuhin & Grappelli Play Gershwin) “during this period he continued to attend the R-26 artistic salon in Montmartre, improvising with his devoted collaborator, Stéphane Grappelli” (Wikipedia)
• Benny Carter. Reinhardt recorded with Benny Carter. “Reinhardt recorded in France with many visiting American musicians, including Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter” (Wikipedia)
• Dizzy Gillespie (1917). Reinhardt played with Dizzy Gillespie. “Later in his career, Reinhardt played with Dizzy Gillespie in France.” (Wikipedia)
• Adelaide Hall. Reinhardt recorded with Adelaide Hall. “Reinhardt also played and recorded with many American jazz musicians, such as Adelaide Hall, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, and Rex Stewart” (Wikipedia)
• Rosenberg Trio. Rosenberg Trio re-recorded Reinhardt's music for a film. “Reinhardt's music was re-recorded for the film by the Dutch jazz band Rosenberg Trio with lead guitarist Stochelo Rosenberg.” (Wikipedia)
• Lousson Reinhardt. Lousson Reinhardt recorded with his father Django. “As Lousson Baumgartner, the son himself became an accomplished musician who went on to record with his biological father.” (Wikipedia)
• Benny Goodman. Goodman invited Reinhardt to join him professionally in the US. “who, after the war ended, had asked Reinhardt to join him in the US” (Wikipedia)
• Christmas Swing by Alix Combelle (1937). Christmas Swing (Alix Combelle) — geography for Django Reinhardt “He recorded often with Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Hombre Mio by Oscar Alemán (1938). Hombre Mio (Oscar Alemán) — peer for Django Reinhardt “In Paris he met Django Reinhardt, for whom he would sometimes substitute.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Boy Meets Horn by Rex Stewart (1939). Boy Meets Horn (Rex Stewart) — collaborator for Django Reinhardt “Reinhardt also played and recorded with many American jazz musicians, such as Adelaide Hall, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, and Rex Stewart (who later stayed in Paris).” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Le Jazz Hot: Hubert Rostaing joue Django by Hubert Rostaing (1960). Le Jazz Hot: Hubert Rostaing joue Django (Hubert Rostaing) — collaborator for Django Reinhardt “Reinhardt re-formed the quintet, with Hubert Rostaing on clarinet replacing Grappelli.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Duke Ellington (1899). Reinhardt toured with Duke Ellington's orchestra. (also via Creole Love Call)
• Flambée montalbanaise by Gus Viseur (1940). Flambée montalbanaise (Gus Viseur) — geography for Django Reinhardt
• Tiger Rag by Ray Ventura et ses Collégiens (1937). Tiger Rag (Ray Ventura et ses Collégiens) — geography for Django Reinhardt
• Menuhin & Grappelli Play Gershwin by Stéphane Grappelli & Yehudi Menuhin (1973). Menuhin & Grappelli Play Gershwin (Stéphane Grappelli & Yehudi Menuhin) — collaborator for Django Reinhardt
• Quintette du Hot Club de France. Reinhardt co-founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France.

Who Django Reinhardt influenced

• Willie Nelson. Nelson cites Reinhardt as a profound influence in his memoir. (also via Stardust) “This was a man who changed my musical life by giving me a whole new perspective on the guitar and, on an even more profound level, on my relationship with sound” (Wikipedia)
• Routes to Django by Biréli Lagrène (1980). Routes to Django (Biréli Lagrène) — legacy for Django Reinhardt “These "electric period" Reinhardt recordings have in general received less popular re-release and critical analysis than his pre-war releases (the latter also extending to the period from 1940 to 1945 when Grappelli was absent, which inc…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Stardust by Willie Nelson (1978). Stardust (Willie Nelson) — legacy for Django Reinhardt “Willie Nelson is a lifelong Reinhardt fan, writing in his memoir, "This was a man who changed my musical life by giving me a whole new perspective on the guitar and, on an even more profound level, on my relationship with sound...During …” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath (1970). Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath) — legacy for Django Reinhardt “Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia and Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, both of whom lost fingers in accidents, were inspired by Reinhardt's example of becoming an accomplished guitar player despite his injuries.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Frank Vignola. Vignola asserts Reinhardt's broad influence on guitarists. “The jazz guitarist Frank Vignola said that nearly every major popular music guitarist in the world has been influenced by Reinhardt.” (Wikipedia)
• Dickey Betts. Betts wrote 'Jessica' as tribute to Reinhardt. “The Allman Brothers Band song "Jessica" was written by Dickey Betts in tribute to Reinhardt.” (Wikipedia)
• Merle Haggard. Haggard co-created a tribute album named after Reinhardt. “American country music artists Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard named their sixth and final collaborative studio album "Django and Jimmie".” (Wikipedia)
• Jeff Beck. Beck praises and cites Reinhardt as an extraordinary influence. “Jeff Beck described Reinhardt as "by far the most astonishing guitar player ever" and "quite superhuman".” (Wikipedia)
• Jimmy Page (1944). Page cites Reinhardt admiringly, indicating influence. “Django Reinhardt was fantastic. He must have been playing all the time to be that good.” (Wikipedia)
• Andrew Latimer. Latimer names Reinhardt as an influence. “Andrew Latimer of the progressive rock band Camel said that he was influenced by Reinhardt.” (Wikipedia)
• Chet Atkins. Atkins names Reinhardt as his top influence. “Asked to name his ten greatest influences, Chet Atkins named Reinhardt as his number one.” (Wikipedia)
• Jerry Garcia. Garcia expresses admiration/influence from Reinhardt's technique. “His technique is awesome! Even today, nobody has really come to the state that he was playing at.” (Wikipedia)
• Toots Thielemans. Thielemans names Reinhardt as a main influence. “Django is still one of my main influences, I think, for lyricism. He can make me cry when I hear him.” (Wikipedia)
• Charlie Byrd. Byrd names Reinhardt as his primary influence. “Byrd, who lived from 1925 to 1999, said that Reinhardt was his primary influence.” (Wikipedia)
• Wes Montgomery. Wes Montgomery was influenced by Reinhardt's style. “Jazz guitarists in the U.S., such as Charlie Byrd and Wes Montgomery, were influenced by his style.” (Wikipedia)
• David Grisman. Grisman praises Reinhardt as unmatched influence. “As far as I'm concerned, no one since has come anywhere close to Django Reinhardt as an improviser or technician.” (Wikipedia)
• Serge Krief. Krief cites Reinhardt as the reason he chose his musical style. “The instant I heard Django, I flipped. I chose his style because it spoke to me.” (Wikipedia)
• Julian Bream. Julian Bream was a devotee of Reinhardt. “His devotees included classical guitarist Julian Bream and country guitarist Chet Atkins” (Wikipedia)
• Howard Alden. Alden's soundtrack performance is stylistically influenced by Reinhardt. “The soundtrack features Howard Alden, performing as the fictional Emmet Ray in a style strongly influenced by Reinhardt.” (Wikipedia)
• Mitch Albom. Albom's novel features Reinhardt as a character, a literary cross-medium tribute. “Reinhardt appears as a character in the fiction novel The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto (2015) by American author Mitch Albom.” (Wikipedia)
• Joan Sfar. Sfar created a graphic novel biopic of Reinhardt. “Joan Sfar wrote the script for the graphic novel Jeangot (Gallimard, 2012), drawn by Clément Oubrerier, which is a biopic about Django Reinhardt, set in an anthropomorphic animal universe.” (Wikipedia)
• Étienne Comar. Comar's film Django depicts Reinhardt's life. “The film Django, by the French filmmaker Étienne Comar, depicting Reinhardt's life during wartime was released in February 2017” (Wikipedia)
• John Pizzarelli (1960). John learned Django Reinhardt's recording of "Rose Room" by ear. (via Rose Room) “I learned "Rose Room" off of a Django Reinhardt record.” (Fresh Air (NPR/WHYY))
• John Lewis (1940). John Lewis composed a tribute standard to Reinhardt.
• Denny Laine. Laine cites Reinhardt as an inspiration.
• Jimmy McCulloch. McCulloch cites Reinhardt as an inspiration.
• Tony Iommi. Iommi was inspired by Reinhardt's example overcoming injury.
• Woody Allen. Allen's film Sweet and Lowdown is built around Reinhardt's legacy.