This wonderful five-disc box is an indispensable collection of prewar, prebop jazz that belongs in the company of your finest Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman sets. Technically, this isn't a true box set--it merely collects five single-disc compilations under one slipcase--but it is infinitely rewarding nonetheless. Disheartened by what he thought were sonically subpar Reinhardt collections, Ted Kendall undertook an ambitious mission to find the best original sources for this classic material and then meticulously remastered them. He wisely opted to leave in some of the surface noise to maintain the clarity and integrity of the music. And what glorious, jubilant music it is! Dating to the very first Quintet of the Hot Club of France sessions in September 1934 (before they'd even established that moniker), the collection includes all the landmark recordings Reinhardt made for Ultraphone, Decca (its English and French labels), and HMV up through the Quintet's 1939 breakup on the eve of World War II. Reinhardt's guitar work is spirited and adventurous throughout--lightning-quick runs, insistent rhythm work, and hybrid "riffs" that seem to split the difference. Nearly all the cuts feature the elegant but vivacious violin work of his most famous foil, Stephane Grappelli, who certainly deserves co-billing on the set. The way the two feed off each other's energy is magical. Despite their well-documented personality clashes, the twosome remains perhaps the most synergistic in jazz history, constantly engaging in their incredible cat-and-mouse games. Often overlooked are the songwriting talents of the two musicians, who contributed several standards to the jazz canon. Though mostly focused on the Quintet recordings, the set detours for such oddities as a pair of solo Reinhardt cuts from 1937 and collaborations with Coleman Hawkins. Simply delightful from beginning to end. --Marc Greilsamer
