‘This album is often so swollen with beauty it is like time-lapse photography of tulips blooming. The final installment of Daniel Weltlinger’s trilogy paying homage to Django Reinhardt, it consists of Weltlinger’s own compositions – from lilting waltzes to surging swing – played with a band including his long-term collaborator Lulo Reinhardt on guitar. Several tracks have no fewer than five acoustic rhythm guitars (played by Lulo and his nephews, underpinned by Harald Becher’s bass) creating the sort of thrust usually associated with jet engines, and if that wasn’t going to get Weltlinger’s violin airborne, nothing would. Not that becoming airborne is a challenge for the violinist, whose plush tone has a built-in soaring quality, whether he plays with scything velocity or leaves notes hanging in the air with such poignancy that time itself seems to stand still. Among the thick undergrowth of guitars, Lulo’s solos always have a particular sparkle that separates him from the plethora of Gypsy swing guitarists beholden to his great-uncle.’
John Shand – Sydney Morning Herald, March 24, 2017.
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Daniel Weltlinger – violin (tracks 1-11)
Lulo Reinhardt – rhythm guitar (tracks 2-10) solo guitar (tracks 2, 5, 7, 10)
Christiano Gitano – rhythm guitar (tracks 2-10) solo guitar (tracks 3, 6-7, 10)
Taylor Paucken – rhythm guitar (tracks 3-4, 7, 9-10) solo guitar (tracks 3-4, 7, 9-10)
Jermaine Reinhardt – rhythm guitar (tracks 3-4, 7-8, 10) solo guitar (tracks 3-4, 7-8, 10)
Romano Reinhardt – rhythm guitar (tracks 3-4, 7, 10)
Harald Becher – bass (tracks 2-10)
Winfried Schuld – accordion (tracks 2, 9) piano (8)
Tracks 2-10 recorded in August and September 2016 at Toca Records, Sinzig Germany
Track 1 ‘Alone’ recorded at Gare Du Nord, Paris 26/7/16 and in Mitte, Berlin 3/9/16
Track 11 ‘Samoreau’ recorded at Terrain de Camping Communal in Samoreau, France 30/6/16
Recording engineer / Mixing by Winfried Schuld
Produced by Daniel Weltlinger
Mastering by Richard Scott / Karsten Troyke
Front cover photos care of Paola Talbert and Daniel Weltlinger
Back cover photo care of Daniel Weltlinger
Inside cover photos care of Hinrich Wulff, Piotr Bialoglowicz and Bawo Reinhardt
Artwork care of Karsten Troyke
1 Alone – 2:42
2 Sur-Seine – 3:36
3 Les Enfants des Django – 4:49
4 The Family – 4:57
5 La Femme Sophistiquée – 4:52
6 Keith – 5:28
7 Samois – 5:04
8 Waterlillies – 4:25
9 3am Melun – 5:19
10 Ghosts – 3:26
11 Samoreau – 1:44
Alone
Every single human being that has ever been will at some point of time be alone. That feeling of being by oneself, amidst a sea of sound and confusion, drifting somewhere somehow, unsure where to go or where to next turn, gently accepting fate’s uncanny ability to save the day.
Sur-Seine
The lazy, winding river. Banks strewn with long carelessly disregarded long grass stems and the smell of damp within the flower beds and green grass. Birds sing and time stands still.
Les Enfants des Django
Time warriors from far off distant lands turned wandering minstrels. Gatekeepers of ancient traditions, full of life, sorrow and joy, taking nothing for granted save for the passion of the moment.
The Family
Annual gathering together of the most wonderful larger than life characters imaginable. Joyous and boisterous, quarrelsome, sweet, loving and inquisitive.
La Femme Sophistiquée
Sensuality and heartbeak make strange but familiar bedfellows. Conflicting hopes and dreams yet love never dies even long into the distant sunset.
Keith
Death is. It comes in one fell swoop and is wholly indifferent to time or lofty grand schemes by we mere mortals. See you again one day old friend.
Samois
Wildwest cowboy guitar slinging shoot ‘em up heaven. Dirt, straw mats and stalls in a noisy display of upmanship juxtaposed by the heaving barges along the river banks and the blanket of leaves from the wise old trees.
Waterlillies
Dark green shadows lilting on top of the murky water amongst the gurgling nightlife. Distant lights reflecting off the calm midnight sky amidst a sea of endless stars.
3am Melun
Helpless hapless bewilderment and a voyage home gone wrong. Systemic indifference leading to abandonment in the middle of nowhere one whole unearthly long cold night well into the dawn.
Ghosts
They’re always there. They’re watching you. And they know.
Samoreau
Placidly sitting in the grass in a corner against the long garden hedge. Sun shining bright and kind, birds chirping in the light breeze. Tranquility, calm and light save the day.
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All songs are the original compositions of Daniel Weltlinger © 2016. Daniel Weltlinger benefits from the support of BNP Paribas for the development of his projects and would like to thank BNP Paribas Australia and the BNP Paribas Foundation for their kind generosity in funding this recording project. This recording is dedicated to the legions of fans of Django Reinhardt (1910-1953) which includes my many friends from the Reinhardt family, to the remarkable natural landscape of Samois-sur-Seine and to our beautiful planet which humanity must learn to better preserve and look after – it is more precious than we can imagine. It is a prayer for our world.