Django reinhardt's caravan catches fire

1928: Number 6 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of jazz musicIn 1928, at 18, Belgian gypsy musician Django Reinhardt lost the use of the third and fourth fingers of his left hand in a caravan fire, forcing him to abandon both the violin and banjo and concentrate on the guitar, playing solos with only his index and second finger. He developed a unique style full of vibrato-humming fast runs, piano-like trills and sax-like speed. Reinhardt later led the celebrated Quintette du Ho...

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