# Django Reinhardt

> Romani-Belgian /French jazz musician (1910–1953)

**Wikidata**: [Q44122](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q44122)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/django-reinhardt

## Summary
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering Romani-Belgian/French jazz guitarist and composer, renowned for co-founding the "hot jazz" guitar style and popularizing Gypsy jazz. Despite losing the use of two fingers in a fire, he revolutionized jazz guitar technique, leaving an enduring legacy as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

## Biography
- **Born**: January 23, 1910, in Liberchies, Pont-à-Celles, Belgium
- **Died**: May 16, 1953, in Samois-sur-Seine, France
- **Nationality**: Romani-Belgian/French
- **Occupation**: Jazz guitarist, composer, banjoist
- **Known for**: Pioneering Gypsy jazz, co-founding the Quintette du Hot Club de France
- **Genres**: Jazz, Gypsy jazz, Romani music
- **Instruments**: Guitar, banjo
- **Notable Affiliations**: Quintette du Hot Club de France (founded 1934)

## Contributions
Django Reinhardt's contributions to music include:
- **Gypsy Jazz**: Co-created the genre in the 1930s, blending Romani musical traditions with American jazz.
- **Quintette du Hot Club de France**: Formed in 1934 with violinist Stéphane Grappelli, this ensemble became one of the most influential jazz groups in Europe.
- **Innovative Technique**: Developed a unique guitar style using only two fingers on his left hand after a fire injury, proving groundbreaking in jazz improvisation.
- **Compositions**: Wrote enduring jazz standards like *"Minor Swing"* and *"Daphne"*.
- **Cultural Influence**: Inspired generations of musicians, including Biréli Lagrène and the modern Gypsy jazz movement.
- **Legacy**: The annual **Django Reinhardt Jazz Festival** in Samois-sur-Seine celebrates his work, and the **Prix Django Reinhardt** (established 1955) honors outstanding French jazz musicians.

## FAQs

### **What made Django Reinhardt’s guitar playing unique?**
Reinhardt’s technique was revolutionary due to his use of only two fingers on his fretting hand (index and middle) after a severe burn injury. Despite this limitation, he developed unprecedented speed and fluidity, blending Romani scales with jazz harmonies.

### **What was the Quintette du Hot Club de France?**
Founded in 1934, this was Reinhardt’s seminal jazz group featuring violinist Stéphane Grappelli. The ensemble eschewed drums and brass, focusing on string instruments—a radical departure from American jazz at the time—and became a defining force in European jazz.

### **How did Django Reinhardt influence modern music?**
His innovations in Gypsy jazz laid the foundation for genres like jazz manouche and influenced artists across jazz, rock, and world music. The Django web framework (Python) is named in his honor, reflecting his cultural impact beyond music.

### **What awards or honors are named after Django Reinhardt?**
- **Prix Django Reinhardt** (1955): Awarded annually by the French Académie du Jazz to the best French jazz musician.
- **Djangodor** (1992): A jazz music award celebrating excellence in the genre.
- **Django Reinhardt Jazz Festival**: Held annually in Samois-sur-Seine, France, where he is buried.

### **Where is Django Reinhardt buried?**
He is interred in the cemetery of Samois-sur-Seine, France, where a plaque and annual festival commemorate his legacy.

## Why They Matter
Django Reinhardt redefined the possibilities of jazz guitar, proving that physical limitations could not constrain artistic genius. His fusion of Romani folk music with American jazz created Gypsy jazz, a genre that remains vibrant today. By co-founding the Quintette du Hot Club de France, he brought jazz to European audiences in a distinctly continental style, free from the dominance of brass and percussion. His influence extends beyond music—inspiring the naming of the Django web framework—and his compositions (*"Minor Swing," "Nuages"*) are now jazz standards. Without Reinhardt, the trajectory of jazz guitar, European jazz, and even modern digital culture (via the Django framework) would be fundamentally different.

## Notable For
- **Pioneer of Gypsy Jazz**: Co-created the genre in the 1930s.
- **Quintette du Hot Club de France**: Founded the iconic jazz ensemble in 1934.
- **Innovative Technique**: Mastered guitar with only two functional fingers after a fire injury.
- **Compositions**: Wrote jazz classics like *"Minor Swing"* and *"Daphne."*
- **Cultural Icon**: Inspired the naming of the Django web framework (Python).
- **Awards Legacy**: The **Prix Django Reinhardt** (1955) and **Djangodor** (1992) honor jazz musicians in his name.
- **Festival**: The annual **Django Reinhardt Jazz Festival** in Samois-sur-Seine celebrates his music.
- **Posthumous Influence**: Mentored future stars like Biréli Lagrène and shaped modern jazz guitar pedagogy.

## Body

### **Early Life and Injury**
Django Reinhardt was born on **January 23, 1910**, in Liberchies, Belgium, into a Romani family. He began playing the banjo and guitar in his youth, performing in Parisian cafés by his teens. In **1928**, a fire in his caravan severely burned his left hand, leaving his fourth and fifth fingers permanently curled. Doctors suggested amputation, but Reinhardt refused, relearning guitar with a focus on his index and middle fingers.

### **Rise to Fame**
By the early 1930s, Reinhardt had mastered his adapted technique, developing a lightning-fast, melodic style. In **1934**, he co-founded the **Quintette du Hot Club de France** with violinist Stéphane Grappelli. The group’s string-based jazz—without drums or brass—was groundbreaking, earning international acclaim. Their recordings, such as *"Minor Swing"* (1937), became jazz standards.

### **Musical Style and Innovations**
Reinhardt’s playing blended:
- **Romani musical phrasing** (e.g., ornamental trills, chromatic runs).
- **American jazz harmonies** (influenced by Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington).
- **Classical technique** (inspired by his admiration for Bach).

His solos were improvisational yet structured, often using **diminished chords** and **arpeggios** in ways unseen in jazz at the time.

### **Later Career and Legacy**
During **World War II**, Reinhardt remained in Nazi-occupied France, performing despite the persecution of Romani people. Post-war, he experimented with bebop, collaborating with American jazz musicians like Dizzy Gillespie.

Reinhardt died of a **brain hemorrhage on May 16, 1953**, at age 43. His burial site in **Samois-sur-Seine** became a pilgrimage spot for jazz enthusiasts.

### **Posthumous Influence**
- **Gypsy Jazz Movement**: Artists like **Biréli Lagrène** and **Stochelo Rosenberg** cite Reinhardt as their primary influence.
- **Django Web Framework**: The Python framework (2004) is named after him, symbolizing creativity and adaptability.
- **Awards and Festivals**:
  - **Prix Django Reinhardt** (1955): France’s top jazz honor.
  - **Djangodor** (1992): Celebrates jazz innovation.
  - **Django Reinhardt Jazz Festival**: Annual event in Samois-sur-Seine.
- **Cultural Depictions**: Featured in films, documentaries, and biographies, including *"Django"* (2017).

### **Discography Highlights**
- *"Minor Swing"* (1937)
- *"Daphne"* (1938)
- *"Nuages"* (1940)
- *"Djangology"* (1949)

### **Personal Life**
- **Aliases**: Known as Jean-Baptiste "Django" Reinhardt; also performed under names like **Jiango Renard**.
- **Family**: His son, **Babik Reinhardt**, also became a jazz guitarist.
- **Instrument**: Primarily played a **Selmer Modèle Jazz** guitar, now highly sought after by collectors.

### **Honors and Memorials**
- **Plaque in Samois-sur-Seine**: Marks his gravesite.
- **Google Doodle**: Featured on his **100th birthday (2010)**.
- **Wikidata Sitelinks**: 66 entries across languages, reflecting his global recognition.

Django Reinhardt’s life and work embody resilience, innovation, and the power of cultural fusion. His music remains a cornerstone of jazz, and his legacy continues to inspire across disciplines.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. Integrated Authority File
3. Encyclopédie Larousse
4. Classical Archives
5. [Source](https://actu.fr/societe/ces-celebrites-enterrees-en-seine-et-marne_46112692.html)
6. [Gypsy Jazz Music | Discogs](https://www.discogs.com/style/gypsy+jazz#top_artists)
7. International Standard Name Identifier
8. CiNii Research
9. Virtual International Authority File
10. MusicBrainz
11. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
12. SNAC
13. Discogs
14. filmportal.de
15. Dictionnaire des Wallons
16. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
17. Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana
18. Roglo
19. Find a Grave
20. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
21. [Source](http://muziekarchief.be/trackdetails.php?ID=360290)
22. AllMusic
23. CONOR.SI
24. BBC Things
25. ISWC Network
26. SACEM repertory
27. Quora
28. LIBRIS. 2012
29. YouTube API
30. Cinemathèque québécoise Linked Open Data
31. [Source](https://www.musik-sammler.de/artist/django-reinhardt)