Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeEyes
French Jazz is its own entity in many ways. American Jazz grabbed at African rhythms by way of the Caribbean and slaves, the French revisited real live Africa much later and because of that they have contributed to Jazz in a very big way. They also had a lot of the Gypsy guitar greats like Django Reinhardt. A lot of seminal American authors like Orwell, Miller and Hemingway really found their stride in France as well.
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It is true that the French made their own style- they made an effort to come up with something that wasn't American, different. The best is Stephane Grappelli, Jean-luc Ponty, and as you mentioned Reinhard. However, it should be clear that most of the great American Jazz Masters spent a lot of time n Paris. Many of them, including Charlie Parker, got burnt out and fell out of favor with American audiences. Even pre BeBop players, as far back as Sidney Bechet exposed French culture to Jazz. The French responded with their own take on Jazz, but that's about all.