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STEPHANE GRAPPELLI
STEPHANE'S TUNE
Original Recordings 1938 - 1942
with Django Reinhardt, Arthur Young and Hatchett's Swingtette
 NAXOS JAZZ LEGENDS
8.120570
Crotchet
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1. It Had To Be You
2. Nocturne
3. Alexander's Ragtime Band
4. You Made Me Love You
5. After You've Gone
6. Oh! Johnny, Oh! Johnny, Oh!
7. Stephane's Tune
8. Bluebirds In The Moonlight
9. It's A Hap-Hap-Happy Day
10. Blue Ribbon Rag
11. Coal Black Mammy
12. Ma ( He's Makin' Eyes At Me )
13. The Sheik Of Araby
14. In The Mood
15. Oh! By Jingo
16. Sweet Sue - Just You
17. Noel Brings The Swing
18. Margie
19. You're The Cream In My Coffee
20. Liza
This release is an interesting mixture of "hot" jazz as played
by Stephane Grappelli's own small groups and society music as played
by Hatchett's Swingtette. All of the tracks featured here were recorded
in London during the years 1938 - 1942. Grappelli lived in England during
the War years and had in fact taken up residence at some time in 1938
following a tour by The Quintette de Hot Club de Paris. According to
the sleeve note, although Stephane was in poor health and spoke little
English he continued to work in London throughout the Blitz.
The Swingtette was the resident band at the highly popular Hatchett's
Restaurant in Piccadilly, which was second only The Cafe de Paris as
a venue for dining and dancing. The Swingtette selections are pleasant
enough but lack the drive and swing of the ones featuring smaller groups.
This is polite society music and comes complete with novelty arrangements
and, at times, an almost cloying sweetness in the style of phrasing.
Grappelli manages to overcome this background and plays throughout with
Gallic charm and enthusiasm. The other members of the orchestra provide
adequate solos when required and Beryl Davis is a pleasant vocalist
in a manner characteristic of this era. The Novachord, as played here
by Arthur Young, is obviously a forbear of today's electronic keyboards
and is quite entertaining in small doses!
There are two tracks of Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt in a
duo format and these are probably the most satisfying selections for
the jazz purist.Grappelli plays with his customary verve and legato
approach on the violin and Django provides excellent backing and solos
in a more percussive and arpeggiated manner on guitar. On "It Had
To Be You" Grappelli doubles on piano ( which was his original
instrument and one he played to great effect throughout his career -
I remember a stunning version of "Tea For Two "at a festival
at Chichester with great fondness.)
The small group sessions are, to my ears, reminiscent of Benny Goodman's
efforts from this period - if you substitute the clarinet for the violin
the overall effect is much the same. Of particular interest is the emergence
of the young George Shearing on piano on some of these sides.
This disc is perhaps only of marginal interest to the jazz enthusiast
- there must be many better compilations of Grappelli - particularly
the re-releases of the Hot Club sessions. However, for anyone with a
liking for nostalgia, particularly from the War Years, this represents
quite a fascinating document of what was happening in terms of functional
music at this place in time.
Dick Stafford
D.S. is a professional reed player and teacher living
in Coventry.
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