Born in Paris in 1908, Stephane Grappelli experienced every decade of the jazz century. At the age of six, his precocious talents led him to study dance with the tempestuous Isadora Duncan before the First World War forced him onto the streets of Montmartre, where he displayed the grit and determination that would propel him to the stages of the world.

Grappelli's astonishing story spans seventy-seven years, during which time he performed with the great names in jazz: Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, George Shearing, Joe Venuti and Martin Taylor. But it is his performances with Django Reinhardt, his greatest friend, for which he is perhaps best remembered. Together, the pair cut a swathe through the embryonic world of music recording, building a legacy that would outlive them both.

Containing exclusive interviews with Stephane, contributions from his friends and family, much newly discovered evidence on Stephane and Django and many previously unpublished photographs, Stephane Grappelli: With and Without Django is a slice of musical history, a testament to a man who invented his own style of jazz.

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