VA - Generation Django (2009)

Larry Coryell's "Blues for Django and Stephane" (from a 1992 concert, featuring guitarists Philip Catherine and Marc Fossett, plus bass virtuoso Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen), plus a mesmerizing guitar trio rendition of "Tears" (with Rocky Gresset, Adrien Moignard, and Sylvain Luc) are here, off-setting some of the more contemporary arrangements, which aren't as interesting. Guitarist David Reinhardt's setting of Django's "Nuits de Saint Germain Des Pres" combines a more poppish/contemporary sound with Brazilian rhythm, organ, and flute, though it is innocuous. Babik Reinhardt's original "Incertitudes" is more like a cheesy smooth jazz track, with his effective electric guitar backed by mundane keyboards and an instantly forgettable pop rhythm. Worst of all, though, is Caravan Palace's "Jolie Coquine," which attempts to blend Andrews Sisters-style vocals with gypsy rhythm, then adds contemporary percussion that makes it sound like a modern dance club number, and a forgettable, overproduced effort. The liner notes are rather brief, when they could have been used to explain the selection process and background of some of the lesser-known artists. Many of the songs have previously been released elsewhere, though it is not made clear if anything was recorded specifically for this anthology. In total, a generally good, though inconsistent salute, to Django Reinhardt's lasting influence on jazz. ~Ken Dryden