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9780199756254

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Reviews

In this fascinating picaresque adventure into European gipsy culture, Michael Dregni not only discovers much hitherto undocumented information about the background to the great manouche guitarist Django Reinhardt, but also about his musical and social forbears, contemporaries and heirs. Dregni's sparky prose and fervent enthusiasm enliven his search, which always comes back to the music itself, in which he finds, alongside the influence of American jazz, a timeless romani wistfulness, the lingering melancholy of an itinerant people. * Alyn Shipton, Jazz critic of The Times, London, and author of A New History of Jazz * Dregni writes as Django played: lyrical, inventive, engaging and often undeniably brilliant. With Gypsy Jazz he shines light upon the 'holes in history' that have so long obscured this most celebrated yet mysterious arena of Romany music. An astonishing text. * Garth Cartwright, author of Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians * Dregni's passion for Django Reinhardt and the enduring overlap of gypsy music and jazz leads to a picaresque journey from the US, across modern Europe and back again. The music itself is the wandering hero as Dregni gracefully weaves together historical research, personal insights, and conversations with colorful, music-making characters. Generous, musical storytelling at its best! * Ashley Kahn, author of A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album, and other jazz titles *

<br>Reviews of the hardback edition: <br> Dregni's passion for Django Reinhardt and the enduring overlap of gypsy music and jazz leads to a picaresque journey from the US, across modern Europe and back again. The music itself is the wandering hero as Dregni gracefully weaves together historical research, personal insights, and conversations with colorful, music-making characters. Generous, musical storytelling at its best! -- Ashley Kahn, author of A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album<br> Dregni writes as Django played: lyrical, inventive, engaging and often undeniably brilliant. With Gypsy Jazz he shines light upon the 'holes in history' that have so long obscured this most celebrated yet mysterious arena of Romany music. An astonishing text. --Garth Cartwright, author of Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians<br> In this fascinating picaresque adventure into European gipsy culture, Michael Dregni not only discovers much hitherto undocumented inform

Reviews of the hardback edition: ""Dregni's passion for Django Reinhardt and the enduring overlap of gypsy music and jazz leads to a picaresque journey from the US, across modern Europe and back again. The music itself is the wandering hero as Dregni gracefully weaves together historical research, personal insights, and conversations with colorful, music-making characters. Generous, musical storytelling at its best!""-- Ashley Kahn, author of A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album ""Dregni writes as Django played: lyrical, inventive, engaging and often undeniably brilliant. With Gypsy Jazz he shines light upon the 'holes in history' that have so long obscured this most celebrated yet mysterious arena of Romany music. An astonishing text.""--Garth Cartwright, author of Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians ""In this fascinating picaresque adventure into European gipsy culture, Michael Dregni not only discovers much hitherto undocumented information about the background to the great manouche guitarist Django Reinhardt, but also about his musical and social forbears, contemporaries and heirs. Dregni's sparky prose and fervent enthusiasm enliven his search, which always comes back to the music itself, in which he finds, alongside the influence of American jazz, a timeless romani wistfulness, the lingering melancholy of an itinerant people.""--Alyn Shipton, Jazz critic of The Times, London, and author of A New History of Jazz ""A highly original book that's part history, part detective story and part travelogue... Dregi does a beautiful job tracking down the details and making the people and music come alive. Gypsy Jazz is an important and delightful addition to the ongoing story of Gypsy jazz, and provides an essential bridge to this fascinating people and their culture."" --All About Jazz

Author Information

Michael Dregni is a columnist, reviewer, and feature writer for Vintage Guitar magazine, and author of Django: The Life and Music of a Gypsy Legend (OUP, 2004).

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