Various Artists – Magyar Gipsy Melodies (1951)

Romania is a European country with a multicultural music environment which includes active ethnic music scenes. Traditional Romanian folk music remains popular, and some folk musicians have come to national (and even international) fame.

Folk music is the oldest form of Romanian musical creation, characterised by great vitality; it is the defining source of the cultured musical creation, both religious and lay. Conservation of Romanian folk music has been aided by a large and enduring audience, also by numerous performers who helped propagate and further develop the folk sound. One of them, Gheorghe Zamfir, is famous throughout the world today and helped popularize a traditional Romanian folk instrument, the panpipes.

The religious musical creation, born under the influence of Byzantine music adjusted to the intonations of the local folk music, saw a period of glory between the 15th and 17th centuries, when reputed schools of liturgical music developed within Romanian monasteries. Western influences brought about the introduction of polyphony in religious music in the 18th century, a genre developed by a series of Romanian composers in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Traditional Romanian music reflects a confluence of sounds similar to Central European (especially Hungarian) as well as Balkan traditional music. In Romanian folk music, emphasis is on melody rather than percussion, with frequent use of the violin for melody. The melody itself and especially the melodic embellishments are reminiscent of music from further south in the Balkans. (wikipedia)

And here is a fine example of this so lively and vital music from the Balkans … the music is just intoxicating

Tracklist:

Alexander Haas Budapest Ensemble:
01. The Blonde Water of the River Tisza 2.55
02. I Would Like To Pick Lilacs In A May Night 2.54
03. The Love Of Lavotta 3.20
04. Calmly Flows The River Maros / Why Should I Love the Blonde One 3.03
05. Applaud And Enjoy Yourself 3.06
06. I Don’t Cry / Swell Headed 2.53

Nicholas Matthey Gipsy Ensemble:
07. Bagatelle 2.47
08. Romanian Hora 3.02
09. Lazy Gypsy 2.49
10. Doina 3.10
11. The 7th Week In Lent 3.04
12. Romanian Melody 2.56

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Alternate front+backcover:

Schnuckenack Reinhardt Quintett – Musik deutscher Zigeuner (Music by German Gypsies) (1969)

Franz “Schnuckenack” Reinhardt (17 February 1921 – 15 April 2006) was a German gypsy jazz musician (violinist), composer and interpreter.[a] He was considered the “great violin virtuoso of Sinti music.” He was a German Sinto; his music was mostly published and categorized under the contemporary names gypsy jazz or “Musik deutscher Zigeuner” (music of German gypsies). He “made this music accessible to a broad public” and made the most significant contribution to the presentation of gypsy music and jazz in Germany into a concert form. He was the pioneer of this style of music in Germany and directly or indirectly inspired many of the succeeding generation of gypsy jazz players in that country, as well as preserving on record a great many folkloric and gypsy compositions for future generations.

Schnuckenack, a relative of the virtuoso Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt, whom he never met personally, was born on 17 February 1921 in Weinsheim, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany. His father Peta, a cousin of Django’s mother, was also a violinist. Like most musical gypsies, he started playing at an early age with his family which at first followed a roaming existence as did most gypsies of that day; he appeared in concerts with the band of his father from the age of twelve. In the 1930s, the family settled in Mainz and Schnuckenack studied music for a while at the Mainz-based Peter Cornelius Conservatory. His nickname “Schnuckenack” – which quickly became his official nickname – comes from the Romani expression “schnuker nak: (“nice nose”).[b] During the Nazi era, as a gypsy he was deported with his family in 1938 to the town of Częstochowa in south-central Poland. They lived there for five years, the family disguised as German-Hungarian musicians, always fleeing from discovery. On five occasions, Schnuckenack barely escaped shooting by the SS; his younger brother was not so lucky and was deported to Auschwitz where he was killed. Schnuckenack himself survived and returned to Kulmbach in Bavaria.

In 1966, during a pilgrimage to Lourdes, Schnuckenack met a young man who would change his life: Sigfried Maeker. This producer convinced the violinist to make the music of the German gypsies accessible to a wide audience.[3] Schnuckenack gathered musicians and formed a Quintett whose drummerless lineup with two rhythm guitars was an exact copy of Django Reinhardt’s Quintette du Hot Club de France and which gave its first concert in November 1967 in Heidelberg. This first Quintett consisted of Schnuckenack on violin and vocals, Daweli Reinhardt and Bobby Falta (who had also played with Joseph Reinhardt in the 1960s) on solo guitars, Spatzo Weiss on rhythm and Hojok Merstein on double bass. In 1967 and 1968, the group performed at the International Waldeck Festivals.[4] In 1969, Bobby Falta and Daweli Reinhardt were replaced by Holzmanno Winterstein on rhythm guitar and the then 18-year old guitar virtuoso Häns’che Weiss, who hailed from East Germany, on lead acoustic guitar. This version of the Quintett released several albums including a live recording with the singer Lida Goulesco.

That version of the Schnuckenack Reinhardt Quintett dissolved in May 1972 with the departure of Häns’che Weiss, who went on to form the Häns’che Weiss Quintet with the teenage prodigy Titian “Titi” Winterstein on violin, Holzmanno Winterstein and Ziroli Winterstein on rhythm guitars, Hojok Merstein on double bass as well as himself on solo guitar.

Schnuckenack then formed a new quintet with the return of Bobby Falta on solo guitar, Schmeling Lehmann, and son Ricardo Reinhardt on rhythm guitars, and Jani Lehmann on double bass. According to Falta’s preference, this quintet was more oriented towards jazz. In the following years, the quintet was replaced, and Schnuckenack’s son Forello was the solo guitarist; the folkloristic part of the repertoire was again emphasized. Until 1991, the formation changed to a sextet, which was also made up of family members. Schnuckenack also performed with his “Talal” project, which followed the migration of the Roma from India to Europe.

One of Schnuckenack’s most prized possessions was the “Pope violin” which was presented to him with a personal dedication by Pope Paul VI in 1965. He never played this instrument for money but it was used solely on religious occasions such as festivals and pilgrimages.

Schnuckenack resided in Sankt Leon-Rot, Baden-Württemberg from 1982 until his death in 2006. In 2000 the film maker Andreas Öhlers made a documentary film about his life called Die Ballade von Schnuckenack Reinhardt (The Ballad of Schnuckenack Reinhardt) which detailed his music as well as his wartime experiences. This film accompanies Schnuckenack Reinhardt on a journey with his sons to places that marked him and his music for life; by taking his sons to the places in Germany and Poland where he was persecuted and to the places where he pursued his musical career after 1945, he wants to pass on the family’s history to them. The last stop on this itinerary is Samois-sur-Seine in France, the burial place of his great inspiration and relative, the jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.

The Austrian artist André Heller, who was a friend of Schnuckenack, wrote the song “Mein Freund Schnuckenack” together with Ingfried Hoffmann, in which he refers to the life of the musician whose life was affected by both great joy and great sadness.

Schnuckenack Reinhardt died on 15 April 2006 at the age of 85, just after he had announced that he was retiring from performing, given a farewell concert 1 April 2006 in at the Parktheater in Bensheim, Germany, and announced that he was transferring the leadership of his famous Quintett to his brother-in-law Schmitto Kling, leader of the group “Hot Club the Zigan”. He is buried in the main cemetery of Neustadt an der Weinstraße.

Schnuckenack’s music differed from Django’s, being a combination of both swing and Hungarian or eastern European styles with Romani vocals and high energy accompaniment, together with many traditional gypsy melodies and waltzes, but his various Quintetts played an important role in keeping Django’s music alive especially through the 1960s when few others were playing it, and laid the foundation for numerous German Sinto groups that were to follow such as those of Häns’che Weiss, Titi Winterstein, the Hot Club da Sinti and others, also the next generation of great players such as Lulu Reinhardt, Wedeli Köhler and Martin Weiss. (wikipedia)

He was considered the “great violin virtuoso of Sinti music””. Franz “Schnuckenack” Reinhardt was a cousin of the French guitarist Django Reinhardt. He studied violin at the conservatory in Mainz. But at 17, he and his family were deported to Czestochowa in southern Poland – in Nazi terminology, they were Gypsies worthy of life.

There the family eked out a living for five years disguised as German-Hungarian musicians. After the war, Reinhardt returned to Germany and played light music for the US army.

In 1967, the Schnuckenack Reinhardt Quintet was formed, which sounded like Django Reinhardt’s “Hot Club de France” and became the model for many Sinto jazz groups. (by Christian Kosfeld)

And here´s is his first album …

And those who like the great music of Django Reinhardt actually have to listen to this album, because it is also great!
For everyone else, this is a chance to discover this music!

Personnel:
Hojok Merstein (bass)
Bobby Falta (lead guitar)
Daweli Reinhardt (guitar)
Schnuckenack Reinhardt (violin)
Spatzo Weiß (guitar)

Tracklist:
01. Fuli tschai (Traditional) 2.09
02. La Bohème (Aznavour) 2.21
03. Sweet Georgia Brown (Pinkard/Bernie/Casey) 3.11
04. Nadeschi veliona (Traditional) 4.33
05. César Swing (Traditional) 3.23
06. Manoir de mes rêves (Reinhardt) 3.57
07. Rumänische Maika (Traditional) 1.47
08. Some Of These Days (Brooks/Simon) 3
11. Swing Musette (unknown) 1.58
12. Them There Eyes (Pinkard) 3.02
13. Nisch (Reinhardt) 3.48
16. Gari-gari (Traditional) 2.28

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Biréli Lagrene – Gipsy Project – Just The Way You Are (2007)

Biréli Lagrène (born 4 September 1966) is a French jazz guitarist. He came to prominence in the 1980s for his Django Reinhardt-influenced style. He often performs in swing, jazz fusion and post-bop styles.

Lagrène was born on 4 September 1966 in Saverne, Alsace, France, into a Romani family and community. His father and grandfather were guitarists, and he was raised in the gypsy guitar tradition. He started playing at age four or five, and by seven was improvising jazz in a style similar to Django Reinhardt’s, whom his father admired and wanted his sons to emulate. In 1980, while still in his early teens, he recorded his first album, Routes to Django: Live at the Krokodil (Jazz Point, 1981).

During the next few years, Lagrène toured with Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucía, and John McLaughlin, all of them guitarists, and played with Benny Carter, Benny Goodman, and Stéphane Grappellii. He joined Larry Coryell and Vic Juris in New York City for a tribute to Reinhardt in 1984, and went on tour with Coryell and Philip Catherine. He also performed with Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, the Gil Evans Orchestra, Christian Escoudé, and Charlie Haden. In 1989 he performed in a duo with Stanley Jordan.[1]

Lagrène recorded Gipsy Project (Dreyfus, 2001) and Gipsy Project and Friends (Dreyfus, 2002). With his usual cohorts Diego Imbert (double bass) and Hono Winterstein (rhythm guitar), the latter session featured Henri Salvador and Thomas Dutronc (son of Françoise Hardy and Jacques Dutronc). (by wikipedia)

Guitarist Bireli Lagrene has long built upon the tradition that began with the Gypsy swing of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France with virtuoso guitarist Django Reinhardt. On this outing, Lagrene continues in the tradition while changing the instrumentation, incorporating drums, sax, and occasionally piano, but he also expands the repertoire to include modern songs written after Django’s death. “After You’ve Gone” and “I’ll See You in My Dreams” all fit like a comfortable pair of well-worn shoes, while Lagrene adds a friendly vocal to “All of Me” and digs up an old Reinhardt original (“Feerie”) that gives the leader a chance to show off his chops. Lagrene also arranged several strong originals written by his musicians. His swinging treatment of George Benson’s “Before You Go” features tenorist Franck Wolf in a breezy arrangement, while Lagrene switches to electric guitar for a laid-back setting of “Flamingo.” Even Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender” is successfully transformed into swing, though Lagrene’s loungy “Tim and Zoe” features electric guitar and synthesizer in the style of George Benson’s crossover recordings, a total misfit at the end of an otherwise flawless CD. (by Ken Dryden)

Personnel:
André Ceccarelli (drums)
Diego Imbert (bass)
Biréli Lagrène (guitar, vocals)
Hono Winterstein (guitar)
Franck Wolf (saxophone)
+
Roberto Jermaine Landsberger (piano on 14.)

Tracklist:
01. After You’ve Gone (Creamer/Layton) 4.19
02. Just The Way You Are (Joel) 6.50
03. Lune de miel (Winterstein) 3.52
04. I’ll See You In My Dreams (Kahn/Jones) 3.21
05. All Of Me (Marks/Simmons) 4.33
06. Féérie (Reinhardt) 2.56
07. It’s impossible (Manzanero) 5.31
08. Cap’tain Ferber (Wolf) 3.23
09. Guet-apens (Imbert) 3.05
10. Flamingo (Anderson/Grouya) 3.57
11. Before You Go (Benson) 5.29
12. Lolita (Winterstein) 5.11
13. Love Me Tender (E. Presley/Matson) 5.00
14. Tim & Zoé (Lagrène) 7.15

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Yoska Gabor And His Gypsy Orchestra – Gypsy (1962)

The real name of Yoskar Gabor was Yoska Nemeth (born in 1921 in Budapest, Hungary – died August 10, 1965 in Paris, France).

This Hungarian violinist (he was nicknamed “The prince of the gypsies”) had great sucess in his adopted country France, he was a highly celebrated violinonist in this time.

So he won the “Grand prix du disque” in 1956 and he was a importnat part of the Gsypsy Jazz Scene in France in thte Fifites. He played with musicians like Sonia Dimitrevitch and Django Reinhardt.

I guess he was a master of his own and if you like this sort of music, than … you should listen … and you´ll hear a wonderful and brilliant violin, celebrating the art of Gypsy Music !

This album was recorded in Paris/France for the French label Barcley Records.

Personnel:
Lucien Baudry (violin)
Louis Déand (violin)
Henry Drissen (violin)
Marcel Fraiberg (accordion)
Antonin Grozleziat (cello)
Constantin Neagu (piano)
Yoska “Gabor” Nemeth (violin)
Ernest Pseffer (bass)
Sandov Puka (cymbals)
Henry Rosés (violin)
Joseph Sollero (guitar)
Angelo Toscano (violin)

Tracklist:
01. Dark Eyes 3.06
02. Popular Gypsy Melodies 2.52
03. Gypsy Bell 2.54
04. Gari Gari 1.50
05. The Black Hussards 2.35
06. By Pity 3.56
07 .Gypsy Love Boubliski 3.55
08. The Symphony Of The Birds 4.47
09. I’ll Wait For You The Way Is Long 3.53
10. Gypsy Mazurka 3.56
11. The Weapons Gleam In The Sunshine 2.19
12. Come Gypsy Czardas Of “Come Gypsy” 4.37
13. Roumanian Dance 1.43

All songs: Traditionals

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Taken from the book
“From Coffee to Champagne to Coconuts” by Brigitte Kassa

Ken Peplowski Gypsy Jazz Band – Gypsy Lamento (2007)

This is a gypsy combo of the Django Reinhardt persuasion, rather than being fully-crazed wedding party cacophony. In fact, reedman Ken Peplowski makes matters even more specialized by concentrating on a preponderance of slow plodders rather than the frenetic hurtling that many gypsy jazz guitar outfits now prefer. The album’s cover is slightly strange. Two pseudo-brides in billowing white silk cavort with a pair of goats. Is this what gypsy life entails?

Half of the compositions are written by the old Belgian guitar master Reinhardt, with Peplowski flanked by guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden, which is certainly an impressive way to be surrounded. This is a world where reeds are not always invited, but Peplowski smoothly slides in his clarinet and tenor saxophone, delivering some of the most sensitive solos of his career. Pizzarelli and Alden opt for steely picking, bright with a percussive attack, but it sounds like it’s the former who’s taking most of the solos.

The playing, arrangements and production qualities make this a disc to savor, even though it would benefit from a few more briskly trotting numbers. Peplowski’s oozing clarinet closeness on “Anouman” sinks the listener into a less familiar Reinhardt tune. Next up, his tenor tone on “Crepuscule” is magnificent; sounding like the mic is buried deep inside its velvet-lined bowels.

Violinist Aaron Weinstein isn’t around much, but when he’s soloing, the impact is noticeable. He’s half slick sluice, half hot friction. The guitars engage in a dialogue during “I’m Confessin,'” the leader layers up both of his horns on “Please,” conversing with himself, while it’s just Peplowski and Pizzarelli together for the closing “Time On My Hands.” This album is an oldster’s reflection, but this is no bad thing. Peplowski burns up frequently during other sessions, so a reclined set makes for a pleasurable change. (by Martin Longley)

Personnel:
Howard Alden (guitar)
Ken Peplowski (saxophone, clarinet)
Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar)
Chuck Redd (drums)
Frank Tate (bass)
Aaron Weinstein (violin)

Tracklist:
01. Topsy (Durham/Battle) 7.19
02. Anouman (Reinhardt) 4.42
03. Crepuscule (Reinhardt) 4.55
04. Tears (Reinhardt) 4.26
05. I’m Confessin’ (Neuburg/Dougherty/Reynolds) 7.34
06. Minor Swing (Reinhardt) 4.36
07. Solitude (Ellington) 4.24
08. Nympheus (Reinhardt) 5.19
09. Please (Robin/Reinger) 4.15
10. Nuages (Reinhardt) 5.33
11. I’ve Had My Moments (Donaldson) 4.26
12. Time On My Hands (Youmans) 2.46

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Szücs And His Magyar Cigányok – The Soul Of A Gypsy (1972)

This recording  represents one of the rare times that authentic Gypsy music has ever been recorded by an authentic Gypsy band. It is certainly the first time it has been done in true STEREOPHONIC SPACE SOUND. Most recordings of so-called Gypsy music are made by popular commercial orchestras, who play Gypsy-type music along with every other kind. While some of these band leaders are big names in the popular and semi-popular field, and though some are accomplished musicians, neither their style nor their rendition can be compared with that of a genuine Gypsy Banda.

Thi difficulties in recording such a group are manifold. Real Gypsy performances are played without orchestration or any written music, and are more or less the equivalent of a jam session. Only a recording expert can understand the tremendous technical problems involved, since these spontaneuous performances are never repeated with uniform length, rhytm — or even melody.

Another obstacle is the fact that a Gypsy would never dream of playing any instrument but his own, which is usually handed down in the family as a proud inheritance. Consequently, the Zimbalom player wouldn’t touch the beautiful new Zimbalom in the studio, so we not only had to haul the musicians, but all their instruments too, via chartered bus, from their village to the Studio, which was miles away. Therefore, Gypsy music fans will accept the various noises audible on this REQUEST RECORDS HIGH FIDELITY RECORDING for what they are: the cracking of the seams on the old Zimbalom, or the hissing sounds occurring when the Gypsy stops the vibration of the Zimbalom strings.

Lastly, it must be remembered that when a Gypsy plays he goes into a kind of trance; the resulting music comes from his heart and soul. Each “Primas”, (the violinist Leader) has specialty showpieces which never fall to enchant the audience.

It look many patient hours and days before the Gypsies became reconciled to the Studio atmosphere. In fact, it became necessary to gather a small audience for them, in order to bring their playing into the proper mood.

It is with great pride that REQUEST RECORDS brings you “The Soul of a Gypsy” in an intimate, authentic, on-the-spot presentation.

These recordings are originals, and are not to be confused with technically inferior copies illegally dubbed from old Hungarian records. They were made in Western Europe on the finest, most modern recording equipment.  (taken from the original liner notes)

Unfortunately I have no further informations about this Gypsy ensemble … who knows more ?

But .. this is a real fine piece of Gypsy Music … believe me !

Personnel:
Szücs and his Magyar Cigányok

Tracklist:
01. Dancing Near The River Olt 3.02
02 The Clouds Drift Down / Listen Kathi / One Dosen’t Kill A Lawstudent / If I Had A Hundred Forint 6.44
03. Gypsy Tears 8.29
04. Red Roses Talk And Others 8.52
05. I Am A Gypsy, Born In The Gutter 2.21
06. Medley Of The Best Chardases 6.30

All tunes: Traditional

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