Gipsy Project & Friends
Of all the gypsy guitarists to follow the path blazed byDjango Reinhardt,  Bireli Lagrene has perhaps inherited more of Reinhardt's restless musical  spirit than any other. Since making his recorded debut in 1980 at the age of  13, Lagrene has experimented with a wide variety of styles, including  fusion and hard bop.Gypsy Project and Friendsis the second CD from Lagrene and the band he formed to play Hot Club-style swing. The  selections include a well-chosen mix of popular Reinhardt-Grappelli  compositions such as "Djangology" and "Minor Swing," along with less familiar  tunes like "Ma Premiere Guitare," which was written by the French guitarist  Sacha Distel. Lagrene's band features the amazing Romanian fiddler Florin  Niculescu, who plays swing with a fiery passion. The friends include  guitarists Thomas Dutronc, "Hono" Winterstein, and Stochelo Rosenberg, who is  one of the most technically accomplished guitarists playing in the gypsy jazz  style. Lagrene and his companions play these songs in a way that perfectly  balances respect for the tradition with the desire to innovate and move the  style into the future.--Michael Simmons