[78-L] Grappelly.

[Dingo]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Spats" <spats47 at ntlworld.com>

> I was lucky enough to share the stage with Stephane Grappelly once.
> There were four of us in the front line and I'm the only survivor now.
> The other two were Larry Adler and my old friend, Adelaide Hall.
> (Diz Disley was in the accompanying band).

I saw Grappelli just once in concert at Watford Town Hall around April
1974 when he had schoolboy violinist Nigel Kennedy with him. But did meet up
with him at a late breakfast/brunch a few years later when he and Diz stayed
at a friend's house after their gig at the Norwich's Theatre Royal. My
friend, clarinetist/artist Jack Cudworth, had been at Leeds Arts College (?)
with Diz, clarinetist Alan Cooper and I believe, singer Frankie Vaughan.
Apart from being introduced to Grappelli, whom I found charming, I just sat
in awe listening to his fractured English ....... and Diz explaining to
friend Jack on the different ways to rid his garden of moles !!

As to Grappelli's playing, while liking it when in company with Django, my
preference is for his post-Django recordings. Likewise I prefer Django with
Hubert Rostaing and other reed players. My favourite Grapelli recording has
to be the one I was fortunate to make within a few days of his Watford
concert when he appeared on a live Capital Radio show with Diz,  fellow
guitarist Denny Wright and bass player, Len Skeat. Sadly, I was only able to
record the last couple of tunes they played which now prompts me to find
where I've put them. I seem to recall that was both the first and last time
I ever heard jazz on that radio station.

<snip>

> That said, have you ever heard the violin solos that DJANGO himself
> recorded!?

I have the two (?) which were re-issued on a Polydor LP, but haven't played
them in a long time.
~~
John D