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Suite
Django
Trio Recording with
Paul Vernon Chester, Solo Guitar
Ian Cruickshank
Rhythm Guitar
Andy Crowdy
Double Bass
The Cover Illustration - artwork by Paul
Vernon Chester for his trio album Suite Django
- a pun contrived by Paul - the artwork is a montage of references to Django's
Life.
 The Broad Brimmed White 'Panama'
Hat, perhaps Django's Son - Babik as all gypsy children grew up to the sounds of
music, Naguine - Django's Wife as in the lobby of the picture., then the Young Django
with hat and cravat, Grande Bouche and Petite Bouche Selmer Maccaferri' Guitars,
Django's fire damaged Fret Hand by Roger S. Baxter '95 is included as a tender study,
a reference to Samois Sur seine the last home and resting place for Django and
'Nin-Nin' Joseph Reinhardt who peers out from the Centre. Duke Ellington
who invited Django to the USA represents his shattered American Dream. The artists
own image appears
fittingly top right in the background as an expert of the genre and a player
with his middle name in French adjacent, The young Grappelli above Django's
fret hand. The two remaining faces may be Baro and Matelo Ferre who played
on many Django Recordings. Added is the ever different Django signature
adjacent to the master's Image.
 Paul
Vernon Chester - Suite Django -
Musical Impressions of events in the life
of Django Reinhardt
All original tracks
written and performed by Paul Vernon Chester, accompanied by Ian Cruickshank on
Rhythm Guitar and Andy Crowdy on Double Bass and percussion.
Track Listing:
Naissence
Valse des Enfants
Flame of Destiny
Redemption
Nin-Nin - nickname
for Django's Brother Joseph - Sample Extract 2050Kb
Broad Brimmed Hat
Baro and Matelo
Hotel Claridge
Selmer Swing
American Dream
Naguine's Tears -
Django's Second Wife - Sample Extract 2050Kb
Suite Django - Purchase Enquiry
CD DEALERS: PLEASE ENQUIRE FOR TRADE PRICES
'Suite Django' was inspired by the life and music of the great gypsy guitarist
Django Reinhardt This recording is my tribute to his genius, his art,
Django is elemental now; a free spirit a true Gypsy - Paul Vernon Chester.
Alain
Antonietto on ‘Suite Django’
Paul Vernon Chester is a guitarist who, in distancing himself from the
never-ending “Tributes to Django” has found a way, with much musical
sensitivity, to evoke in a great CD the spirit, the very life even, of the
‘Great Manouche’. In composing his “Suite Django”, he has endeavoured, not to
imitate the instrumental style of ‘The Master’ (moreover Vernon Chester plays in
a delicate fashion similar to that of one Henri Crolla, for example), but rather
to relate the various stages of his life. In this way, each track refers
specifically to a precise period of Django’s musical development. Firstly his ‘
Naissance’ ( Birth in 1910) celebrated via the sonorous purity of a melody full
of newness, followed by the ‘ Waltz of the Children’, carefree and wild, a happy
young life shattered suddenly by the fire in his caravan (1928) which Paul
Vernon has interpreted through the haunting theme, ‘Flame of Destiny’, in the
style of the Spanish ‘Dance of Fire’, whereas the hesitant waltz ‘ Redemption’
relates so well the long, slow re-education process of the burnt hand of the
musician; this piece which little by little confirms the certainty of his
recovery, his emancipation being revealed through the impetus of the music as
the track progresses, showing his talent finally returning (on two fingers)-what
joy!
In this way, the whole ‘Suite Django’ CD is rich in constantly changing
landscapes. Like a film which relates the plot as it happens and where the
characters appear each in turn ‘Nin-Nin’, the little brother ‘Joseph’ of whom we
hear his guitar rhythms faithful to the Django style starting from the
wastelands of the ‘zone’ and leading them on to the luxurious night clubs of
Paris. The ‘Broad Brimmed Hat’, his first purchase, the first sign of the
whimsical expenditure, Django’s personality is captured here in an amusing
tango. Not forgetting ‘ Baro and Matelo’ of course! Gitane guitarists, members
of this well-known Tsizane atmosphere of the Russian cabarets in Paris. Equally
the legendary ‘Hotel Claridge’ where it is said, in 1936, the Quintette of the
Hot Club of France was born; on this track we hear the first real ‘jazz’ tempo
on this album. Similarly ‘Selmer Swing’, of which the long improvisation,
resonating with vibrant passion and evoking the sonority of this famous guitar
maker’s model, inseparable from the ‘Gypsy Style’.
Coming finally to the after-war years and the ‘ American Dream’ the gross
disappointment Django suffered when he toured the USA in 1946 with Duke
Ellington. Then, sadly to conclude the CD, under the guise of a coda, the
beautiful composition ‘ Tears of Naguine’ a melancholic melody dedicated to the
widow of a guitar genius who died May 16th 1953, but who even today
remains universally admired. In order to hear this tribute which comes to us
from England, second home for Django and Stephane Grapelli, ‘Suite Django’ is
available on the Fret label.
Alain Antonietto - also added
I am
enjoying 'Suite Django' more and more. It is a work which could be considered a
sonata Alain was responsible for
recording club performances of Joseph Reinhardt in Paris - these were released
later as 'Live in Paris'
 Alain
Antonietto is the world’s pioneering historian of jazz tsigane. He
is the author of numerous articles on Romany music, a long-time contributor
to La Revue Etudes Tsiganes, and producer of albums collecting rare Gypsy
music. He is also the co-author of Django Reinhardt: Un géant sur son nuage
and Django Reinhardt: Rythmes futurs. He lives in Belleville, a Paris
quartier made famous by Django’s jazz melody of the same name
 Andy
Crowdy - Bassist -
Andy Crowdy is a well known
and highly rated bass player on the UK jazz scene. He has performed with
many leading UK players (Gary Potter, Diz Disley, Clark Tracey, Alan Barnes
and Tina May, to name but a few). He is in constant demand and can be heard
with Acker Bilk on one night and with a contemporary jazz band on the next
day. Over the last years Andy has been working extensively for New
Orleans-born singer Lillian Boutte, playing bass and guitar at festivals and
workshops in Europe, America and Australia.
Andy combines an incredible
sense of rhythm and drive with a lyrical musicality, which comes to the fore
in his solos. The English jazz critic Bruce Gomersall wrote that Andy "
gives the performance a depth and quality”. His technique combined with a
great sense of humour always keep the audience entertained. Andy has a love
of many musical styles, leading him to playing heavy rock, blues, folk and
pop. This has given him a huge breadth of experience, which he has been able
to transmit in music workshops all over the world through his teaching of
bass and guitar.
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PAUL
VERNON CHESTER