A lecture and debate on the theme "Big band e Orchestre Jazz In Europe" this afternoon at the Barga Jazz Club as part of the final day of Barga Jazz Festival 2007.

The presentation was by the Direttore Centro Studi Arrigo Polillo from Siena, the music journalist Francesco Martinelli (his site is here)

Using video and audio he mapped out the rise of European Jazz from the between the two wars with what was probably the first real "home grown" jazz of the Hot Club of France led by Django Reinhardt. 

In 1934, Louis Vola formed the "Quintette du Hot Club de France" with Reinhardt, violinist Stéphane Grappelli, Reinhardt's brother Joseph and Roger Chaput on guitar, and himself on bass. The concept of "lead guitar" (Django) and backing "rhythm guitar" (Joseph Reinhardt/Roger Chaput or Pierre Ferret) was born with that band.

They also used their guitars for percussive sounds, as they had no true percussion section. The Quintet of the Hot Club of France was one of the few well-known jazz bands to have no drums or percussion section. 

Click on the link below to listen to a short section of Francesco Martinelli talking about the rise of Big Band and Orchestra in Europe

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