DORADO & AMATI SCHMITT – Sinti Du Monde
Stunt Records STUCD 15162
Dorado Schmitt (violin, guitar, vocals) Amati Schmitt (guitar) Xavier Nikq (bass) Franco Rehstein (guitar) Esben Strandvig (guitar)
Recorded Fredericia, Denmark 8th to 10th February 2015.
Gypsy Jazz or Jazz Manouche, to give it its idiomatic title, is not every one’s cup of thé but it is a uniquely European synthesis of styles borne of a highly respected tradition that when performed as well as it is here is nothing less than a life affirming delight. Coming out of the style we associate with the Hot Club du France recordings of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, Schmitt and his band, which includes his son Amati, show themselves to be truly authentic keepers of the flame interpreting its conventions with breath-taking virtuosity and flair whilst investing them with the vitality of more recent jazz and popular music styles.
Schmitt, clearly a leading figure of the genre, is young enough to have grown up with the rock music of Hendrix and Santana and though he doesn’t parody their music in any way you can hear elements of their playing in his carefully applied dissonances which add an exciting piquancy to his interpretation of such swing era warhorses as `Stomping at the Savoy’, ‘Rose Room` and `How High the Moon`. His rhythmic palette too is varied so whilst we get plenty of the usual four square comping he makes room for waltz time, samba and tango within his programme of pieces.
Alongside the familiar tunes noted above there are several self-penned originals, ballads and romantic tunes of considerable delicacy, one of which features his violin and another in which he hums a wordless refrain, this being the full extent of his vocal contribution.
It is in short a beautiful recording with a superb acoustic, captured as played without editing or overdubbing and one that will beam sunshine and joie de vivre straight out of your speakers.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
Stunt Records STUCD 15162
Dorado Schmitt (violin, guitar, vocals) Amati Schmitt (guitar) Xavier Nikq (bass) Franco Rehstein (guitar) Esben Strandvig (guitar)
Recorded Fredericia, Denmark 8th to 10th February 2015.
Gypsy Jazz or Jazz Manouche, to give it its idiomatic title, is not every one’s cup of thé but it is a uniquely European synthesis of styles borne of a highly respected tradition that when performed as well as it is here is nothing less than a life affirming delight. Coming out of the style we associate with the Hot Club du France recordings of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, Schmitt and his band, which includes his son Amati, show themselves to be truly authentic keepers of the flame interpreting its conventions with breath-taking virtuosity and flair whilst investing them with the vitality of more recent jazz and popular music styles.
Schmitt, clearly a leading figure of the genre, is young enough to have grown up with the rock music of Hendrix and Santana and though he doesn’t parody their music in any way you can hear elements of their playing in his carefully applied dissonances which add an exciting piquancy to his interpretation of such swing era warhorses as `Stomping at the Savoy’, ‘Rose Room` and `How High the Moon`. His rhythmic palette too is varied so whilst we get plenty of the usual four square comping he makes room for waltz time, samba and tango within his programme of pieces.
Alongside the familiar tunes noted above there are several self-penned originals, ballads and romantic tunes of considerable delicacy, one of which features his violin and another in which he hums a wordless refrain, this being the full extent of his vocal contribution.
It is in short a beautiful recording with a superb acoustic, captured as played without editing or overdubbing and one that will beam sunshine and joie de vivre straight out of your speakers.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
