When I saw Stephane in Malvern, Django Reinhardt was long since deceased.





The great man had teamed up with  other musicians, like Diz Disley (guitar),
John Etheridge (guitar) and Philip Bates (bass)

That was  "a great line-up" - Stephane himself just having passed his 69th
birthday, and feeling, he said, " ... still 20, I intend to keep playing until I
drop". 

Stephane grew up in Paris, and from an early age could perform on a variety of
instruments. His Dad bought him his first violin  when he was 12 years old. He 
was introduced to Jazz by the pianist Stephen Mougin - and after encountering
other men of  French Jazz he really got into it himself.

Whilst working at the Croix du Sud on the Champs Elysees, he first met Django
Reinhardt. Their formation of the quintet (3 guitars, violin, string bass) made 
Jazz history. Their magic spanned the globe and the quartet that I experienced
on this night certainly exuded that MAGIC once more.