[78-L] Grappelli (several points)

[yves francois]

   RE: Grappelli 
I like Stephane, but believe that you (John)got it right, his playing improved with age, he was truly a fine wine in that regard, and far from the only one in jazz history (my close friend Franz Jackson would be another, as would another acquaintance Benny Waters). I know this may sound funny, but I believe that when Stephane went to the UK for the war years that playing with Shearing gave him a new "swing" to his playing, I think it is the ultimate compliment to a musician that he improved over time, some are not so lucky.
    Grappelli did have intonation problems, enough that an early record ("Fit As A Fiddle" with Gregor) has been attributed to the excellent Michel Warlop, what is probably true is that Stephane borrowed Michel's violin (I have asked this before, any new points of view on this one), and, guess what? He is in tune, this is because Stepnane came from a very poor background as a kid, and was quite stingy about buying violins. Remember that the QTHCOF was not quite superstar material in the middle 30's either, so he may of not (yet) have the funds (and unlike Miichel, who came from a more prosperous background, could not afford the violins Mr Warlop had).
   RE: Django, I also prefer the Roasting combo (so much so that I still like those musicians backing my childhood favorite vocalist Yves Montand, a true one of a kind entertainer) over the original quintet, and re his violin, it has been reissued a couple of times, a CD of "Django in Belgium" and a Fremeaux box set, good violin work too, though i would not call it jazz. Remember Django also wrote several non jazz pieces of music (the Ferret's like to play some of them) 
   RE: Venuti better than Grappelli? I think that one is a matter of taste. IMHO, I prefer Warlop, Svend, Juice Wilson (I am going by one recording session with Noble Sissle here, has ANYONE found ANY recordings done in Malta, I really don't care if they are jazz or not, by the way), Eddie South, Stuff Smith, and the one that NEVER get's talked about the Chilean master Hernán Oliva over either of them (if we are dealing with the 78rpm period of recording). By the way Hernán is the violin that graces the first Oscar Aleman sessions in Argentina (1941/2 or so), then went on to Louis Vola, some incredible records with the very underrated Ahmed Ratip (1946/9) - with Booker Pittman also present BTW - and ended up with a fine group called Jazz Casino (circa 1950/55 with the Chenini brothers), since he usually recorded in Argentina (or Chile) I guess he was "off the radar" for most record collectors. His solo on Ratip's "My Blue Heaven" (just to name one
 example of dozens) is swing perfection, and I need to get some of his later records, since Grappelli's (and in my opinion Venuti's as well) greatest work was after, shall we say 1945, I wonder how Hernán Oliva fares in his later recordings (Hans or Luis e mail me if you wish, I think either of you would know more than I do re the post 78 era of Hernán).
   I don't buy the concept that one or two musicians dominate on any instrument, there were hundreds of great tenor players that were near to Hawkins or Young (maybe I should say there were many players at the same level as Webster, Byas, Scott or Freeman), just as jazz trumpet is not only Louis, Bix (some even forget how important Bix was to ALL jazz, read what Louis says), Roy and Dizzy (leaving Frankie Newton, Lips Page, Muggsy Spainer, Bobby Hackett et all out in the cold, and not even mention Jacques Butler, Irving Randolph or Henry Goodwin). Why must we make Grappelli greater than some of the great forgotten violin players in the hot Texas string bands, the music may be "western" but it is JAZZ when they take hot solos, jazz is where you find it, and speaking of Bix et all, how come no one mentions the Whiteman violin player Al Duffy?
   I better stop now, I think I am too long winded for my own good (LOL), at least the computer and recording gear (not to mention my health, for I dislike summer in Chicago, the ozone kills me) are in function again, after an odd summer
all the best
Yves
PS I saw Grapelli in the 80's once, terrific music, as I said I prefer both his and Venuti's playing in the post war era, some players improve with age (Doc Cheatham anyone?), others are like falling stars, brilliant then gone...


--- On Wed, 10/22/08, Dingo <roadie at btinternet.com> wrote:

> From: Dingo <roadie at btinternet.com>
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Grappelly.
> To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 5:43 AM
> ----- 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
> 
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