As I write this the sun is shining, but my disposition is more of the bleak midwinter variety and so for this week I have turned to the sad, plaintive Django Reinhart tune, Nuages (Clouds).  Then too, I just watched La Vie en Rose, so maybe my mind is turning to things French.

  A Gypsy guitarist born in Belgium, Django grew up playing in and around Paris.  His Quintette du Hot club de France featured three guitarists, a bassist and the famous Stephane Grapelli on violin.  All those acoustic strings produced a unique sound, hauntingly beautiful on ballads and madly swinging on up tempo tunes, the lack of a drummer nowhere missed.

I dialed up a violin and guitar here in homage to the composer.  It doesn’t do the Hot Club de France justice, but if you don’t know Nuages, I think it will still bear a listening.  It’s  beautifully melancholy, or maybe dreamily bittersweet, or sadly contemplative…   Click above to hear it.