Bireli Lagrene Overview

Hailed as a child prodigy for his young abilities to reproduce the complexities of the guitar work of gypsy jazz and swing guitar master, Django Reinhardt, with austere precision in mechanics and inspired spirit reminiscent of Django, Bireli Lagrene is one of the few guitarists that has ever been able to reproduce Django's works with a style that is true to form and more than simple immitation. Displaying an obvious respect for Django, Bireli approaches Django's classics in a manner that seeks to assimilate Reinhardt's original perspectives rather than to reduce the recreations to mere analsyis of techniques, mechanics, and verbatim reproduction. By gaining the original perspectives, Bireli takes on a mindset similar to Django's and follows his lines of thinking in new directions that bring a freshness and uniqueness to his reproductions that maintain a sense of authenticity and consistency with the originals in a manner that is not contrived, but is instead vivid, spontaneous, and lively.

Bireli Lagrene is generally recognized among fans of swing guitar and disciples of Django, as the premiere swing guitarist of his (the current) age. His style embraces everything that swing guitar is generally idealized to encompass. Bireli delivers an unending stream of grooving, hard swingin' rhythms, witty lead phrasings, and can deliver leads filled with blazingly fast sections and chocked full of inventive, colorful, dazzling ideas. Rhythm is one aspect of playing where many guitarists are severely deficient. But, Lagrene is a solid rhythm guitarist and this dimension of his playing is deeply developed. In true Django fashion, Bireli revives the concept of lead rhythm in his works and reminds other guitarists that in the sections where other instruments are playing leads, there is still plenty of possibilities for improvising lead rhythms to complement the other instruments taking the lead or even vocals. Rhythmic variation and development is one area that Lagrene towers over other jazz guitarists. His mastery of heavily syncopated swing rhythms is a virtual dictionary of the swing rhythmic lexicon, though some credit must also be given to his "friends" that accompany him on the Gipsy Project albums. It appears as though Lagrene approaches rhythmic development more like a percussionist (in mindset) at times, than as a guitarist. And Lagrene does not depend upon "chippy" rhythms that voice contrived chordal harmonies. Instead, Bireli develops truly accessible, fluid, spirited rhythms that serve to better voice the underlying intricate chordal harmonies. If nothing else, jazz guitarists should listen to Lagrene's rhythmic stylings to bring more fluid continuity, genuine syncopation, and real swing to their rhythm playing.

Though his Django / gypsy works capture the genuine style, feel, and essence of swing guitar, one of Bireli's key strengths is his open-mindedness in considering other modern guitarists that emerged in the more recent years of contemporary jazz. Instilled with an innate sense of judgement for traditional gypsy jazz and swing style, Bireli is able to integrate newer techniques (though those that have studied Django know that he did nearly everything possible technique-wise on the guitar and is not given credit for a fraction of what he did...), modes of harmonization, and rhythms into the traditional repertoire in a manner that augments and modernizes the traditional stylings thereby reinventing the boundaries and even the gypsy and swing styles, as they were known prior to Bireli's undertaking. After all, the gypsy style is a style that evolved through history by this same basic process of incorporating new musical ideas as the traveling gypsies encountered them in the course of their travels. In days of old, the very survival of the gypsy musicians could be dependent upon whether they could keep the attention of their audiences by mesmerizing them with their flashy style of musical fusion developed by a combination of passing down ideas from generation to generation and incorporating new ideas as encountered in the course of their travels. The gypsy style is inherently a style of world fusion. Gypsy music is probably the original form of world music fusion. Django Reinhardt is the single person most responsible for fusing the gypsy musical stylings with jazz. His unique perspectives actually served to largely define what swing guitar was because he did this so early on in the evolution of jazz and defined what swing guitar was by integrating gypsy stylings with the contemporary jazz of the era. Bireli Lagrene continues in the footsteps of the master of gypsy and swing guitar with this evolutionary process, picking up where Django left off with swing guitar.

Though Lagrene's playing and works have expanded and evolved beyond coverage of Django Reinhardt's classics, gypsy jazz, and swing guitar, Bireli's coverage of the swing classics has served to redefine our understanding of these classics. One of the major problems with the old recordings of Reinhardt's works and other older swing era classics, is the limitations of the recording equipment of the age. Musicians intent on extracting the intrinsic value from these old recordings can, with some effort, listen through the poor production quality to pick out, albeit with an astute musician's ear, what was really going on. However, what was actually played, the swinging spirit, and the striking impact of the music is not well conveyed by the original, old recordings, especially to a casual listener that may not have the capacity or will to listen through poor production quality, no matter what is done to improve the sound quality of the original masters. But, this is where the Gypsy Project albums rewrite history. By dusting off the old classics and reviving them with a modern perspective steeped in respect for the authenticity of the originals, these old classics are reproduced with integrity, applying modern production equipment, so that any listener, casual or trained musician alike, can really appreciate the intrinsic feel, raw emotional content, and spirited swing that existed when the classics were originally played (i.e. live) during the swing era. Casual listeners and swing connoisseurs can now enjoy the classic swing music unfettered by the blemishes of the archaic recording equipment of the swing era and revived with a brilliance and sparkling charisma comparable to Django's originals so that listeners can now really appreciate what this music sounded like during the heyday of the swing era; the one difference being that when Django originally produced his swing arrangements, his audience was really hearing this music (style and persona) for the first time with nothing to compare it against because nothing preceding it could give them a basis for comparison. If nothing else, Bireli Lagrene has done all swing fans a great service by reproducing so many Django originals with such authenticity and inspired spirit.

But, Bireli Lagrene brings more to his music than being only a Django reproduction factory. He is a true virtuoso and musical savant with a foundation based in gypsy swing and an avant guarde forging ahead into new territories. And, where other guitarists might be phenomenal in some dimensions in certain aspects of their playing and deficient in other regards, Bireli Lagrene is a well-balanced, complete player; he is equally solid as a lead rhythm player and lead guitarist, as well as gifted in all other aspects of harmonization, lyricism, dynamics, and timing. The amazing leadwork is only part of what he does but is not the sole purpose. Like Django, Bireli is always busy even when he is not in the forefront taking the spotlight with a solo... and very much like Django Reinhardt, he is also in the background stealing the spotlight with his rhythm work!

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The 2002 release, Gipsy Project And Friends, is a compilation of gypsy jazz and swing arrangements that feature the virtuoso guitar work of Bireli Lagrene. Throughout this CD, Lagrene reproduces the major works of Django Reinhardt, one amazing piece after the next, with remarkable enunciation driven by inspired vision.

Opening with a stunning rendition of "Djangology" that would turn even Django's head if he heard it passing by, Lagrene voices the signature rhythms and fleeting chromatic runs with a resounding clarity that brings renewed meaning to the Reinhardt showpiece. Were it not for the crispness of the modern production quality, one might think they were listening to a previously lost, rediscovered version of the old classic sounded by Django and Stephane themselves. Lagrene follows with a captivating take of "When Day Is Done", capturing the authentic swing era feel for a swing blues number that fuses lamentable solace with upbeat, swingin' emancipation. Continuing along the same lines of sentimental (...um...) sentiment, Bireli delivers a warm, heartfelt rendition of "Bei Dir War Es Immer So Schon" that is both moving and striking in its Django qualities again.

The album next takes a turn for the upbeat with the hard swingin' track "Babik". Bireli trades leads on guitar with Florin Niculescu, tearin' up the gypsy violin. Taking it up another notch in emotional content and projection, "Ou Es-tu Mon Amour?" is next on the program. Lagrene and Niculescu again trade leads, competing for the deepest sentiment and wrenching of hearts in this sad ballade that the two deliver standout performances. Lagrene turns up the heat even further on his rendition of the traditional gypsy arrangment, "Les Yeux Noirs" (Dark Eyes). Working craftily around the chromatic accented changes and diminished chords, Lagrene and Stochelo Rosenberg blaze through a set of synchronized leads arranged to the piece in flawless unison, traversing gypsy scales, eery arpeggios, chromatic runs, and syncopated lead rhythms like nothing ever done before on acoustic guitars. Catch your breath and collect your gaping jaw after listening to the stunning synchronized leadwork on this track!

Having torn it up a bit on "Dark Eyes", Bireli takes the tempo down for the sentimental vocal arrangement of "Envie De Toi" that adds a touch of class and elegance to the album. Bouncing right back to life with the hard swing of the signature Django composition, "Minor Swing", Lagrene and Niculescu once again engage in duelling leads reminiscent of the torrid Reinhardt and Grapelli duels. Niculescu scales a number of chromatically-flavored runs, devilish minor and diminished arpeggios, shrill vibratos, and enigmatic sequences in his lead passages that impart to the arrangement, a striking feel of both Grapelli and something a little more aggressive and darker, something a little more... gypsy. Lagrene complements Niculescu's lead playing with continuous variations of heavily syncopated rhythms that "Minor Swing" lends itself so well.

Without detailing the remaining tracks to leave some part of the plot to learn for the potential listeners, Lagrene and friends lay down a total of 14 breathtaking tracks on this epic reconstitution of the swing guitar music of Django Reinhardt.

Considering Bireli Lagrene's phenomenal guitar work, incredible reproduction of Django Reinhardt's essence (... je ne sais quoi ...), demonstration of rhythmic variation and swing rhythms, exposition of gypsy and jazz lead stylings, and the terrific support from the other world class musicians hailing from real-life gypsy culture, this is a must have album for all fans of swing music, Django Reinhardt, and rhythm guitar.

Ratings

Composition: 8 / 10

Execution / Performance: 9.5 / 10

Improvisation: 8 / 10

Originality: 7.0 / 10

Relative Accessibility: 8.5 / 10

Lyricism: 8.5 / 10

Harmonization: 8.5 / 10

Rhythm: 9.5 / 10

Technical Complexity: 8.5 / 10

Production: 9 / 10

Explanation of Rating System (Click Here)

Players:     Bireli Lagrene   Guitar Holzamo Lagrene   Guitar Stochelo Rosenberg   Guitar Hono Winterstein   Guitar Thomas Dutronc   Guitar Diego Imbert   Double Bass Florin Niculescu   Violin Henri Salvador   Vocals

Tracks: 1) Djangology 2) When Day Is Done 3) Bei Dir War Es Immer So Schon 4) Babik 5) Ou Es-tu Mon Amour 6) Les Yeux Noirs 7) Envie De Toi 8) Minor Swing 9) Laura 10) Artillerie Lourde 11) Place De Broukere 12) Songe d'Automne 13) Une Histoire Simple 14) Ma Premiere Guitare

~ Christopher Ruel ~ www.ChrisRuel.com ~ Chris@ChrisRuel.com ~ March 2007