One hundred and two years ago today, the inventor of ‘Gypsy Jazz’ was born – it’s Django Reinhardt’s birthday. So today, let’s celebrate, and remember what we can learn from the all too brief life of this musical genius. Savour every little perfect moment and squeeze all the juicy goodness out of life. Never let anything get in the way of your dreams. Ignore the haters and the nay-sayers and break all the rules to make something new and beautiful and wholly your own.
(There are few things more wonderful than listening to some Django while rain taps at the window.)
If you want to learn more about Django’s incredible life, I strongly recommend Michael Dregni’s Gypsy Jazz: In Search of Django Reinhardt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing, as well as Dregni’s earlier, harder-to-find biography, Django: The Life and Music of a Gypsy Legend. Both books are excellent studies of the life, art, and legacy of the one of the great Roma musicians.
The Reading Robyn 