Django Reinhardt Biography

Jean Reinhardt, popularly known as Django Reinhardt, was a Belgian-born Romani French jazz guitarist and composer. Counted amongst the greatest musicians of the twentieth century, he was one of the most influential jazz artists to have emerged from Europe. The son of a musician, Reinhardt toured the US from an early age with Duke Ellington’s orchestra. He developed his own unique and unconventional musical technique, which eventually made him a legend in the history of music. Born with inborn musical skills, he was mostly self-taught. He is remembered for many compositions, such as ‘Minor Swing’, ‘Belleville’, ‘Swing 42’, and ‘Nuages’. According to jazz guitarist Frank Vignola, almost every one of the world’s major guitarists have been influenced by Reinhardt. Due to the massive popularity which he earned over the course of his career, every year Django festivals are held across the US and Europe. A French film based on his life—titled ‘Django’—was also released recently. It premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2017.