[.ca] Grappelli, Stephane: A Life In The Jazz Century

il a profité de sa vie jusqu'au bout ...:
Stéphane Grappelli est mort à l'âge de 89 ans - il a profité de sa vie jusqu'au bout. Je n'ai d'ailleurs jamais vu un DVD aussi plein et riche, c'est absolument remarquable ce que les producteurs ont recherché comme informations et séquences de film. L'interview avec Grappelli (dans l'appartement 87, rue de Dunkerque, là où il habitait à la fin) dure 2 heures (on ne compte pas la 3ème heure avec du matériel bonus !) et il est sans cesse garni des documents de film originale : Des images et bruits authentiques de l'époque (1920), où Stéphane a commencé à l`âge de 11 ans sa carrière de musique en jouant avec un guitariste italien dans les rues du quartier de Montmartre (toujours sans connaître le solfège, simplement en faisant confiance à ses oreilles et à sa spontanéité). 1923, à l'âge de 15 ans, il a été employé aux premiers cinémas de cette époque, pour accompagner des films muets avec Buster Keaton. Le Jazz américain, qui après la première guerre mondiale est parvenu à Paris, a laissé des traces : Stéphane était inspiré par exemple par le duo Joe Venuti / Eddie Lang (Violon/Guitare). Et puis, dans un village de caravanes tziganes en banlieue près de Paris, il a passé quelques week-ends avec le guitariste Django Reinhardt - un des duos le plus génial de l'histoire de musique à été né ! Ils ont commencé en jouant à l'hôtel Claridge à Paris pour le thé de l'après-midi. Peu de temps après le «Quintett du Hot Club de France» a signé son premier contrat avec un label de disque. En 1937, Lew Grade (un manager de théâtre anglais) les a fait venir travailler en Grande Bretagne pendant une décade. Pendant la deuxième guerre mondiale, Django a voulu retourner chez ses compatriotes en France. La réunion des deux musiciens a eu lieu en 1946. Django est allé voir Grappelli pour son anniversaire à Londres, ils ont improvisé autour de l'hymne Marseillaise - et tous recommence. Peu de temps après ils sont partis aux Etats-Unis. Pendant que Django s'est établi de l'autre côte de l'Atlantique, Grappelli a voulu retourner en Angleterre, car le violon mélodique n'était pas valorisé dans le jazz américain. Par là il a travaillé plusieurs années avec le pianiste aveugle George Shearing. La mort de Django Reinhardt en 1953 l'a évidemment rendue triste - mais malgré tous Stéphane a rajouté encore 40 ans pleines de musique. Il a joué ensemble avec des violonistes classiques comme Yehudi Menuhin ou Nigel Kennedy, avec Duke Ellington et Miles Davis, ou bien avec les guitaristes anglais Diz Disley et Martin Taylor. Grappelli a fait des tournés en Australie ou en Nouvelle-Zélande, il a fait des concerts à Carnegie Hall (New York) ou à Royal Albert Hall (Londres), il a donné la main à la 'Queen Mom', et même à l'âge de presque 90 ans il a encore produit une musique de film ('Milou en Mai' de Louis Malle). 1908-1997 - un long chemin jusqu'à ce que Stéphane s'est décidé en paix «to regret to my friends. C'est la vie ... ». (Translation: Richard Köchli)

he has used his full lifetime ...:
1908-1997, at the age of 89 Stéphane Grappelli died - and he has used his full lifetime like nearly no other musician. But I've never seen such an intense DVD-space using as well. It's unbelievable, how many movie-sources the producing team Paul Balmer and Judy Caine found out: The interview with Grappelli (at his last home at 87th Rue de Dunkerque) lasting two hours (not included 1 hour bonus material) is accomponied by authentic movie-sequences. They are bringing us back to the old pre-war time, when Stephane, aged 11, started his career (1920) as a street-musician (together whith an italian-born guitarist) strolling around in his Montmartre-quartier (self-taught, never using notes, only trusting his ears and his talent of staying relaxed and spontaneous). 1923, aged 15, he recieved a job as a silent movie (Buster Keaton) musician. American jazz, arriving at Paris after WWI, inspired Stephane: via radio he learned something about the violin-guitar-duo Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang. In a caravan-camp outside of Paris-city he met the gipsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and tried to copy the Venuti/Lang-duo-style - and they made it much better. 1933 they played every afternoon for a tea-time-entertainment in the Claridge-hotel. Not soon after, a label booked "The Quintett du Hot Club de France". 1937 the british theater-manager Lew Grade caught them - and worked with great success about ten years together with the double-genius in England (interrupted by some years, because Django Reinhardt 1939 prefered (WWII) to go home - taking for his own to the continent a brand new, not yet paid limousine of Lew Grade). 1946 has been the year of reunion: Django visited Grappelli in London, they played for a welcome a jazzy version of the french national hymn - and they again became reconciled with each other - soon they left by plane for an US-tour. While Django established in the states, Grappelli went back to England, because melody-prefering violines had no chance in the jazz-scene in those 50/60-decade in the USA. In U.K. Stephane joined many years the blind piano-player George Shearing. The sudden death of Django Reinhardt, 1953, of course all made sad. But Grappelli added another package of 40-years-musician's-life: He played together with the classical violonists Yehudi Menuhin or Nigel Kennedy, he joined Duke Ellington or Miles Davis, worked with the english guitarists Diz Disley or Martin Taylor, toured through Australia or New Zealand, entered the Carnegie Hall (New York) or the Royal Albert Hall (London), made shake-hands with the Queen Mom, worked with high concentration to create a movie sound-track (Milou en Mai von Louis Malle). 1908-1997 - a long distance till Stéphane peaceful decided "to regret to my friends. C'est la Vie ..."

Music Masterpiece:
This is likely the best music DVD I've seen yet. Paul Balmer and Judy Caine should be congratulated mightily for getting down Stephane Grappelli's story while he was still alive. Grappelli was a jazz giant, not only with the Django Reinhardt and the Quintet of The Hot Club of France, but as a solo jazz violin player and tells his story mostly in his own words. The DVD contains the only live clips of Django Reinhardt this reviewer has seen and they look great. Reinhardt has been the biggest influence on lead guitarists in the last century and every lead player today has been influenced by his style, whether they know it or not. Balmer tried to get this documentary financed by both British and American television, to no avail, which just proves the short-sightedness of mainstream television. To his credit, instead of giving up, Balmer started his own company, Music On Earth, and made first a radio documentary and then this great DVD. It's jam packed with great footage (like color footage of Grappelli and Teddy Wilson playing on British television and other rare footage of Art Tatum) and runs 2 hours and 8 minutes, which is far better than anything we've seen on TV lately, with the exception of Ken Burn's massive "Jazz" project. In addition they've packed the DVD with extra commentaries, more footage, complete clips, a CD jukebox, rare photos, a timeline,and more. A must-have for any fan of jazz.

Marvelous!:
This is a nearly flawless production. The main feature is a 2-hour documentary on Stephane Grappelli, starting with his birth and including film clips (with sound) from one of his pre-Django gigs. A very interesting film clip of Stephane & Django is also included, as are performances with Yehudi Menuhin, George Shearing, Diz Disley & Martin Taylor. The documentary is held together by interview segments with Grappelli. The second DVD in the set includes complete versions of some of the performance clips excerpted in the documentary & more commentary from Nigel Kennedy, Menuhin, Martin Taylor and others. There are short pieces on Grappelli's technique and his piano playing (I wish the latter had been expanded). An audio segment includes several complete tracks also excerpted in the documentary. A segment on the making of the documentary shows both what a labor of love it was & some of the digital technology used in its production. If you love jazz, get this DVD - you won't be disappointed.

Magnifique!!!:
I can't say enough about this DVD. Not only do you get to see Grappelli in various photos and film/video clips over a 60 year period playing with the likes of Nigel Kennedy, Martin Taylor, Yehudi Menuhin, Diz Dizley, and Django Reinhardt (supposedly every Django clip known), you also get to see him in a number of settings including a taping of This Is Your Life back in the 70s when his daughter and grandsons joined him on stage. The documentary begins with the story of his early years and a reinactment of a twelve year old Grappelli playing his student violin in a courtyard in Paris. From there we learn about his earlier career as a silent movie pianist and a pianist/violinist with Gregor and the Gregorians (great accompanying film here). From there we see him meeting up with Django and forming the Hot Club Quintet where they performed for seven years before some of the biggest celebrities of their day and changed jazz forever. Following the story of the breakup of the band prompted by the outbreak of WWII in England, we see the Stephane Grappelli Quintet and are introduced to the surviving octogenarian bassist from that band. Next is the reunion with Django and the story of his untimely death, followed by an account of the lean years for swing music (late 40s and 50s) where Stephane played mostly in restaurants in England and France. The part I truly enjoyed is the story of the rebirth of Grappelli's career after the Cambridge Folk Festival where a whole new generation of jazz and folk music fans discovered his genius and unique musical style. Finally, we see Grappelli's final years where he is still being productive and creative, although his health is obviously declining. (The interviews with Grappelli were recorded a year before his death when he was 88 and quite weak). Also included on this 2 DVD set are a photo montage, a behind the scenes account of the making of the documentary, interviews with Nigel Kennedy, Diz Dizley, and Martin Taylor, a promo for the movie, 11 bonus chapters, 7 music archive clips, research notes, a bibliography, a discography, internet links, and a map of Montmartre where Grappelli grew up. In addition the viewer is given the option of watching the movie with the creator's commentaries, or with subtitles. (Trust me, you'll need subtitles for most of the interviews with Grappelli.) My only disappointment is that there were no video clips or references to Grappelli playing with people like Jean-Luc Ponty, David Grisman, and Mark O'Connor. To me that would have made this DVD effort flawless. Still, this is too good to deserve anything less than 5 stars. Great job, guys.