Violin and string jazz began in the 1920s with Joe Venuti and Eddie South; and developed further in the 1930s with Stuff Smith, Svend Asumussen, Emilio Caceres, Stephane Grappelli (with Django Reinhardt in the Quintet of the Hot Club of France), and Ray Nance with Duke Ellington. From the beginning Violin Jazz developed separately but in parallel with the main stem of Jazz adding pathos, humor, spice and depth to the music.
An offshoot of the main body of Jazz, Jazz violin, string jazz, Hot Club Jazz and Gypsy Swing styles have created an alternate jazz dialect and distinct musical vocabulary. Violin jazz masters today often bridge musical genres bringing the flavors of Classical, Folk, Bluegrass, Western Swing, and gypsy music to the language of jazz.
Svend Asmussen
DISCOVERING OBSCURE VIOLINISTS OF JAZZ A long line of less well-known but fabulous violinists have been recording jazz since the late 1920s including Emilio Caceres, Michel Warlop, Svend Asmussen, Ginger Smock, Ray Nance and some remarkable talents living and performing today.
