Joie de vivre is, alas, in short supply in contemporary jazz: too many musicians prefer white coats and clipboards. Part of the latest series of fine budget reissues from the Proper label, Gypsy Jazz offers an infectious two-decade retrospective, from the first stirrings of the swing bands to polished workouts by the likes of Sacha Distel (in his pre-heart-throb incarnation as a guitarist). It goes without saying that Django Reinhardt casts a long shadow - so much so that musicians have struggled to escape from his influence. In that respect, a four-CD set is almost too much of a good thing. But the pan-European emphasis gives you a vivid sense of how the manouche spirit cast its spell over a continent.
Proper PROPERBOX128 (4 CDs)