Django Reinhardt

Django Reinhardt (1910-1953) was a Romani-Belgian guitarist who created an entire genre — gypsy jazz, or jazz manouche — and became one of the first major European jazz musicians. After a caravan fire in 1928 severely burned his left hand, leaving his fourth and fifth fingers paralyzed, he developed a revolutionary two-finger technique that produced some of the fastest, most inventive guitar playing ever recorded. With violinist Stéphane Grappelli, he co-founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France, the first major jazz ensemble with no American members. His compositions — Minor Swing, Nuages, Djangology — remain jazz standards. He influenced Les Paul, B.B. King, Jerry Garcia, and every fingerstyle guitarist who followed. He is the only guitarist to have an entire genre named after his playing style.