Django’s family was musically talented with both his father and uncle playing in the cafés around Porte de Clignancourt. Having taught himself banjo, Django began his musical career at thirteen as an accompanist in dancehalls. The renowned accordionist Jean Vaissade heard him playing at a bal-musette, and recognising his potential offered the young boy a summer season at Berck-sur-Mer with his band. (ChD p.41)

The banjo had the advantage of volume in noisy dance halls, as did the accordion. On Ma Régulière [BT 4115-1], Reinhardt’s first extant recording (1928), he was simply required to provide chordal accompaniment for Vaissade and a slide-whistle player, but exuberantly breaks into counterpoint runs.