Stéphane Grappelli
One of the all-time great jazz violinists (ranking with Joe Venuti and Stuff Smith as one of the big three of pre-bop), Stéphane Grappelli's longevity and consistently enthusiastic playing did a great deal to establish the violin as a jazz instrument. He was originally self-taught as both a violinist and a pianist, although during 1924-28 he studied at the Paris Conservatoire. Grappelli played in movie theaters and dance bands before meeting guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1933. They hit it off musically from the start even though their lifestyles (Grappelli was sophisticated while Django was a gypsy) were very different. Together as Quintet of the Hot Club of France (comprised of violin, three acoustic guitars and bass) during 1933-39 they produced a sensational series of recordings and performances. During a London engagement in 1939, World War II broke out. Reinhardt rashly decided to return to France but Grappelli stayed in England, effectively ending the group. The violinist soon teamed up with the young pianist George Shearing in a new band that worked steadily through the war. In 1946, Grappelli and Reinhardt had the first of several reunions although they never worked together again on a regular basis (despite many new recordings). Grappelli performed throughout the 1950s and '60s in clubs throughout Europe and, other than recordings with Duke Ellington (Violin Summit) and Joe Venuti, he remained somewhat obscure in the U.S. until he began regularly touring the world in the early '70s. Since then Grappelli has been a constant traveler and a consistent poll-winner, remaining very open-minded without altering his swing style; he has recorded with David Grisman, Earl Hines, Bill Coleman, Larry Coryell, Oscar Peterson, Jean Luc Ponty and McCoy Tyner among many others. Active up until near the end, the increasingly frail Grappelli remained at the top of his field even when he was 89. His early recordings are all available on Classics CDs and he recorded quite extensively during his final three decades.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
-
The Great Stéphane Grappelli, Vol. 3 (Digitally Remastered)
Gypsy - Released by Old Europe on Apr 20, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Django
Miscellaneous - Released by Vinyle Numérique on Mar 15, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Someone to Watch Over Me / I Got Rhythm (Live)
Folk - Released by Musique de la Foret - Gramophone Discs on Feb 26, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live in Mestre Venezia 1985 (Historical Concerts)
Jazz - Released by Caligola records on Dec 11, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Master (Live)
Jazz - Released by Sunset Blvd. Records on Apr 27, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
How High the Moon (Live)
Folk - Released by Musique de la Foret - Gramophone Discs on Mar 12, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Great Stéphane Grappelli, Vol. 4 (Digitally Remastered)
Gypsy - Released by Old Europe on Apr 20, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The History of Jazz Vol. 6
Jazz - Released by Listener's Choice on Nov 20, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Like Someone In Love
Jazz - Released by Vanilla OMP on Feb 28, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Great Stéphane Grappelli, Vol. 2 (Digitally Remastered)
Gypsy - Released by Old Europe on Apr 20, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Improvisation No. 6
Stéphane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt
Folk - Released by One Riverside Drive on Jan 22, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stuff Smith & Stephane Grappelli
Stuff Smith, Stéphane Grappelli
Jazz - Released by Archive of Folk & Jazz Music on Aug 24, 1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Great Stéphane Grappelli, Vol. 1 (Digitally Remastered)
Gypsy - Released by Old Europe on Apr 18, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -