Viper's Dream

It is not even an opinion but a fact that Django Reinhardt is the greatest guitarist. His improvisions, sheer talent, dedication and his casual way of life, enough to drive most people mad, made him a prodigy.

Janurary, 23 1910, Jean-Baptiste Reinhardt later given the pet name 'Django' was born. A Manouche Gipsy traveling around Beligum, Northern France and dipping into Germany when times saw fit.  His mother a gypsy entertainer and his father a musical intrusment repairman.  At the age of 12, Django was given a banjo-guitar.  No formal training, Django just had countless idle hours to listen to other musicians, pick at the six-stringed instrument and create his own sound.  Django's reputation grew in Paris, especially around the Red Light District, as a teenage and he recorded his first couple albums with an accordianist Jean Vaisaade. In 1928, Django returned to his caravan and wife after a night of playing.  He thought he heard something later that night in the caravan and used a candle to luminate the room.  He dropped the candle and it instantly caught fire to the confections of flowers in the caravan.  Django saved his pregnant wife but the personal injuries substained caused him to spend time in the hospital.  The doctors wanted to amputate his leg, Django refused so his cousins quickly removed him from the hospital.  Django kept his leg but the tragedy to be was his left hand, the fret board hand.  The pinky and ring finger were burned, scared and paralyzed....

Django returned but this time with a guitar and playing for cafes in the streets of Montmartre with his newly adapted 2 fingers and thumb technique. The rest you can read in a Django biography.