Biréli Lagrène

Biréli Lagrène was born the September 4th 1966 with Soufflenheim in the the Low-Rhine in a family from tradition Manouche.

Biography

It began the Guitare as of the four years age. At eight years, it takes again the repertory of Django Reinhardt and its entourage sees appearing a future little genius of the guitar: its technique of play is extraordinary like its direction of the music. At the twelve years age it gains a festival of music gypsy with Strasbourg. To thirteen, it is engaged to make a round in Germany, and following this one, in 1980, it records in concert the double album Route to Django .

It at the time of leaving to the the United States where, during several years, it plays with musicians such as Stephan Grappelli, Benny Goodman, Benny Carter… In 1984 in New York, it meets Larry Coryell, guitarist already internationally known, that one finds in the video “The Super Guitar Trio” (Al Di Meola, Larry Coryell, Biréli Lagrène).

It meets later the bass player Jaco Pastorius and turns to the Jazz fusion, with which it starts a round in Europe (1984-1987), which delivers albums such as Stuttgart Aria . After being last by a style close to the Rock'n'roll, it returns in 1990 to an acoustic style. On Acoustics moments (1990), he plays of the guitar and the low electric. He also leaves a sumptuous album Jazz in Marciac (1994). He starts then collaborations with Didier Lockwood then the trio of Richard Galliano. Lastly, after having a short moment formed a four-bit byte, it records two albums (2001): Gipsy Project and Gipsy Project and Friends , in this last it exploits with the talented Stochelo Rosenberg and the violonist Florin Niculescu, a tone of jazz gipsy.

Its career is exceptional and its unquestionable talent, the only flat is that it only composed very little. And as Babik Reinhardt affirms it, wire of the “brilliant manouche”, it is certainly the worthy one representing Django. In addition to Django Reinhardt, Biréli Lagrène affirms being particularly influenced by Wes Montgomery.

Quotations

The jazz manouche does not exist, I am a jazzman.

Discography

1980 : Roads to Django - Live At the Krokodil (with Biréli Lagrène Together)

1981: Biréli Swing '81

1982: 15

1985: has tribute to Django Reinhardt (Live At the Carnegie Hall & Freiburg Jazz Festival)

1988: Stuttgart Aria

1986: Lagrène and Guests

1987 : Inferno

1988 : Foreign Affairs

1989 : Highlights

1990 : Acoustic moments

External bonds

Official site of Biréli Lagrène
www.djangostation.com

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