Django Reinhardt - Clouds

Django Reinhardt is a legendary jazz guitarist

who has remained a staple in Jazz history for the last 70 years or so. He was known for his unique style, which developed from his inability to use 2 of his fingers on his left hand. A fire in the caravan he and his wife lived in caused him to suffer burns all over his body, a paralyzed leg, and 2 paralyzed/burned fingers. Doctors apparently wanted to amputate his leg but Django refused, and was able to walk using a cane within a year. (Source) Because he could only 3 fingers, he developed really interesting voicings/progressions by embracing the limitation and making it a defining feature of his style and skill.

Listen to Clouds by Django Reinhardt here.

The original title of this song

is "Nuages", meaning Clouds in French, and was recorded on a few seperate occasions by Django, originally in F major with a clarinet, but later in G major with strings that were added to the arrangement. (Source). I love the feeling of this song, it definitely has that '30s/'40s swing that was a mainstay of Jazz at the time, although Reinhardt incorporates a lot of Eastern European/Gypsy musical concepts into this, which gives it that distinct Django feel.

---

I hope you all like the song, it's a classic! Thanks for checking out my blog!

---

---

||| EP 1 - Bandcamp | EP 2 - Bandcamp | EP 3 - Bandcamp |||

||| EP 4 - Bandcamp | EP 5 - Bandcamp | EP 6- Bandcamp |||

---