Stephane Grappelli

January 19, 2012 7:32 PM

The exquisite jazz violin of Stephane Grappelli - then and later

12 essential Grappelli tracks

posted by Trurl (15 comments total)

Perhaps not essential, but lovely: this alternate version of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here," with a contribution from Grappelli.

Swell post.
posted by mintcake! at 7:41 PM on January 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

It's like an NPR show is about to start... forever.
posted by cmoj at 7:44 PM on January 19, 2012 [3 favorites]

Stephane was so smiley!
posted by scruss at 7:48 PM on January 19, 2012

I got to shake his hand once. After a show that just plain changed my life.

I'll never forget what he said.

"Eees cold back dere."

Nodding his head at the backstage area.
posted by timsteil at 7:51 PM on January 19, 2012 [4 favorites]

I got into jazz last year and purchased the Django Reinhardt Classic Early Recordings set because, hey, it's classic, and it was indeed awesome, but the star of the show was indisputably Stephane Grappelli.
posted by dfan at 7:55 PM on January 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

I've got maybe 30 albums/ discs of Django and him, but he was pretty damned hip.
posted by timsteil at 8:00 PM on January 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

Man, I LOVE Grappelli's stuf - thanks for this post! Here are a few more tracks that lie on the periphery of many playlists

My Funny Valentine - Stéphane Grappelli & Yehudi Menuhin

Venuti and Grappelli = heaven
Stephane Grappelli and Joe Venuti - I'll never be the same (from Venupelli Blues)

More Joe and Stephane
Stephane Grappelli and Joe Venuti - My one and only love (from Venupelli Blues)

1984 London ..... Michel Legrand & Stephan Grappelli

Two late greats!
Stephane Grappelli & Michel Petrucciani - Misty
posted by Vibrissae at 8:28 PM on January 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

I got into jazz last year and purchased the Django Reinhardt Classic Early Recordings set because, hey, it's classic, and it was indeed awesome, but the star of the show was indisputably Stephane Grappelli.

'Twas in fact that very set I was listening to when the inspiration for the post struck. Highly recommended.
posted by Trurl at 8:46 PM on January 19, 2012

J'attendrai swing.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:56 PM on January 19, 2012

BTW in that first clip, Reinhart literally frets 30 notes in a second and a half during his improvisation. I would have not believed it possible but I spent an hour one day figuring it out.

That clip is an all-time fave. All time.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:59 PM on January 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

I love you, The Internets. Turns out, he plays on my favoritest album of all time, Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. But they turned him down in the mix, so they didn't credit him because it would be an insult. Thanks, Wikipedia!
posted by spacewrench at 9:53 PM on January 19, 2012

How high the moon.
posted by carmina at 10:11 PM on January 19, 2012

Spacewrech, a version of that song where you can hear Grapelli quite well is available onthe recently released Experience and Immersion sets of Wish You Were Here.
posted by gern at 12:57 AM on January 20, 2012

Stunning . . . and even better with Django. His is great music to work to . . . lots of energy.
posted by ahimsakid at 7:25 AM on January 20, 2012

Man, that's great. Because of this post I just ordered the Hot Club of France: Django '35-'39 LP.
posted by Squid Voltaire at 11:22 AM on January 20, 2012