Stéphane Grappelli

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Stéphane Grappelli
Grappelli in 1991
Grappelli in 1991
Background information
Birth name Stéphane Grappelli
Born January 26, 1908 (1908-01-26)
Origin Paris, France
Died December 1, 1997 (aged 89)
Genre(s) Swing
Continental Jazz
Gypsy jazz
Occupation(s) Violinist
Instrument(s) Violin
Associated acts Oscar Peterson, Django Reinhardt

Stéphane Grappelli (January 26, 1908 – December 1, 1997) was a French jazz violinist who founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt. It was one of the first (and arguably the most famous) of all-string jazz bands.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early years

Grappelli was born in Paris, France to Italian parents. Sent to an orphanage as a youth after his mother died when he was 4 and his father left to fight in World War I, Grappelli started his musical career busking on the streets of Paris and Montmartre with a violin.[1] He began playing the violin at age 12, and attended the Conservatoire de Paris studying music theory, between 1924 and 1928. He continued to busk on the side until he gained fame in Paris as a violin virtuoso. He also worked as a silent film pianist while at the conservatory[2] and played the saxophone and accordion. He called his piano "My Other Love" and released an album solely playing piano of the same name. His early fame came playing with the Quintette du Hot Club de France with Reinhardt, which disbanded in 1939 due to World War II. In 1940, a little known jazz pianist by the name of George Shearing made his debut as a sideman in Grappelli's band.

[edit] Post-war

After the war he appeared on hundreds of recordings including sessions with Duke Ellington, jazz pianists Oscar Peterson and Claude Bolling, jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, jazz violinist Stuff Smith, Indian classical violinist L. Subramaniam, vibraphonist Gary Burton, pop singer Paul Simon, mandolin player David Grisman, classical violinist Yehudi Menuhin, orchestral conductor André Previn, guitar player Bucky Pizzarelli, guitar player Joe Pass, cello player Yo Yo Ma, harmonica and jazz guitar player Toots Thielmans and fiddler Mark O'Connor. He also collaborated extensively with the British guitarist and graphic designer Diz Disley, recording 13 record albums with him and his trio, and with now renowned British guitarist Martin Taylor. In the 1980s he gave several concerts with the young British cellist Julian Lloyd Webber.

In 1997, Grappelli received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He is an inductee of the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.

Grappelli is interred in Paris' famous Père Lachaise Cemetery.

[edit] Quotations

  • "In the cinema, I had to play Mozart principally but was allowed some Gershwin in funny films. Then I discovered jazz and my vocation and kissed Amadeus goodbye."
—on his transition from silent film pianist to jazz violinist.[2]
  • "Improvisation, it is a mystery. You can write a book about it, but by the end no one still knows what it is. When I improvise and I'm in good form, I'm like somebody half sleeping. I even forget that there are people in front of me. Great improvisers are like priests, they are thinking only of their God."[3]
  • "Retirement! There isn't a word that is more painful to my ears. Music keeps me going. It has given me everything. It’s my fountain of youth."

[edit] Recordings

Note: This is not complete, as many of his recordings were not transferred from vinyl, and some of his other discs are compilations.

  • Improvisations (Paris, 1956)
  • Djangoly: Django Reinhardt the gypsy genius (1936 to 1940)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhart the Gold Edition (1934 to 1937, copyright 1998)
  • Stephane Grappelli 1992 Live (1992, Verve)
  • Stephane Grappelli in Tokyo (1991, A & M records)
  • Just One Of Those Things (1984, EMI Studios)
  • Stephane Grappelli Live at the Blue Note (1996, Telarc Jazz)
  • Bill Coleman with Django and Stephane Grappelli 1936 to 1938 (released 1985, DRG Records)
  • Fascinating Rhythm (1986, Jazz Life)
  • Parisian Thoroughfare (1997, Laserlight)
  • Martin Taylor Reunion (1993, Linn Records)
  • The Intimate Grappelli (1988, Jazz Life)
  • Jazz Masters (20+-year compilation, 1994, Verve)
  • Michelle Legrand (1992, Verve)
  • Oscar Peterson Skol (1979, released 1990 Pablo)
  • Homage To Django (1972, released 1976 Classic Jazz)
  • Bach to the Beatles (1991, Academy Sound)
  • Stephane Grappelli Plays Jerome Kern(1987, GRP)
  • How Can You Miss, with Louis Bellson and Phil Woods (1989, Rushmore)
  • Young Django (1979, MPS)
  • Live in San Francisco (1986, Blackhawk)
  • 85 and Still Swinging (1983, Angel)
  • Vintage 1981 (1981, Concord)
  • Jean-Luc Ponty Violin Summit (1989, Jazz Life)
  • Martin Taylor: We've Got The World on a String (1984, EMI)
  • Stuff Smith: Violins No End (1984, Pablo)
  • Sonny Lester Collection (1980, LRC)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Joe Venuti: Venupelli Blues (1979, Affinity)
  • Shades of Django (1975, MPS)
  • Afternoon in Paris (1971, MPS)
  • Live at Carnegie Hall (1978, Signature)
  • Jazz 'Round Midnight (1989, Verve)
  • Unique Piano Session Paris 1955 (1955, Jazz Anthology)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Cordes (1977, Musidisc)
  • Satin Doll (1975, Vanguard)
  • Manoir de Mes Reves (1972, Musidisc)
  • Grappelli Plays George Gershwin (1984, Musidisc)
  • Stephane Grappelli (PYE)
  • Stephane Grappelli - i got rhythm! (1974 Black Lion Records) with Diz Disley, Denny Wright and Len Skeat recorded at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, 5th November, 1973
  • Diz Disley Live at Carnegie Hall (1983, Dr Jazz)

[edit] Collaborations with other artists

  • Stephane Grappelli and Claude Bolling: First Class (1992, Milan)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Gary Burton: Paris Encounter (1972, Atlantic)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Hubert Clavecin: Dansez Sur Vos Souvenirs (Musidisc)
  • Stephane Grappelli and David Grisman Live (1981, Warner Brothers)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Barney Kessel: Remember Django (1969, Black Lion)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Barney Kessel: Limehouse Blues (1972, Black Lion)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Yo Yo Ma: Anything Goes (1989)
  • Menuhin and Grappelli Play Berlin, Kern, Porter and Rodgers & Hart (1973 to 1985, EMI)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Yehudi Menuhin: Jalousie (1975, EMI)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Helen Merrill (1986, Music Makers)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Oscar Peterson (1973, Musicdisc)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Jean-Luc Ponty: Compact Jazz (1988, MPS)
  • Stephane Grappelli and The George Shearing Trio: The Reunion (1977, MPS)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Martial Solal (1980, MPO)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Martial Solal: Olympia 1988 (1988, Atlantic)
  • Stephane Grappelli with Marc Fosset Stephanova (Concord Jazz, 1983)
  • Stephane Grappelli and L. K. Subramaniam: Conversations (1992, Milestone)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Toots Thielemans: Bringing it Together (1984, Cymekob)
  • Stephane Grappelli and McCoy Tyner; One on One (1990, Milestone)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Joe Venuti: Best of Jazz Violins (1989, LRC)
  • Violin Summit: Stephane Grappelli, Stuff Smith, Svend Asmussen, Jean-Luc Ponty (1967, Polygram)
  • Stéphane Grappelli and Baden Powell: La Grande Reunion (1974, Accord)
  • Stephane Grapellli and Paul Simon "Paul Simon" (9) 1972 Hobo's Blues (Columbia 1972)
  • Stephane Grappelli and Earl Hines: Stephane Grappelli meets Earl Hines

[edit] Trivia

  • Grappelli made a cameo appearance in the 1978 film King of the Gypsies, along with noted mandolinist David Grisman. Three years later they performed together in concert, which was recorded live and released to critical acclaim.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Stephane Grappelli: A Life in the Jazz Century (an autobiographical documentary
  2. ^ a b Stéphane Grappelli's obituary.
  3. ^ Musicians
  4. ^ The Piper (2002). A Rambling Conversation with Roger Waters concerning all this and that. Retrieved July 9, 2005.

[edit] External links