Django Reinhardt – Swing 48 (2001)

This is one of those CDs I pick up cheaply, out of curiosity, wondering what the music of 'insert jazz legend here' sounds like.

It's a 2001 compilation, cobbled together from live and studio performances from 1947, without, I'll happily wager, the Reinhardt estate seeing one centime in royalties.

While it might be an important historical document, and he was undoubtedly a masterful guitarist, it's not a style of jazz I find interesting. Most of the tunes are 1940s gentle swing with Django's guitar alternating the solos with trumpet or clarinet, and while his playing is fantastic, it's not terribly interesting to listen to. It's OK as background, but not much more for me. Sorry, Django!

Title track from a similar compilation

2* - not my thing at all