Django Reinhardt

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During the 1920s and early 1930s, gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt was developing his own unique jazz style in his native France where music is such an important part of gypsy culture. It was and is a common practice for two to four guitarists, bass and violin to play as a unit. The famous "Hot Club" evolved from this tradition. The guitars generated a sufficient amount of rhythm so that a drummer was not required. Django emerges as the king of all gypsy guitarists with his flawless technique, speed, and compositional skill.
At the height of this creative period, tragedy struck. While Django was relaxing in his caravan, a candle accidentally fell onto an arrangement of dried flowers and set the caravan ablaze. Django and his young wife escaped with their lives, but Django sustained third degree burns on his left hand. Many thought he would never play again. Determined as he was, he began to rebuild the hand. He had zero usage of the third and fourth fingers but could play with the index and middle.
All of what you hear on these recordings is played with two fingers of the left hand, and of course a full functioning right hand for picking. As it ends up, Django could play more with two fingers than anyone could play with twenty. This is absolutely mind-boggling to a guitarist who may try to emulate the Django style.
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