Django Reinhardt

Birth Name:

Jean Baptiste Reinhardt

Birth Date:

January 23, 1910

Birth Place:

Liberchies, Pont-à-Celles, Belgium

Death Date:

May 16, 1953

Place of Death:

Hôpital de Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau, France

Age:

Cause of Death:

Cerebral hemorrhage

Cemetery Name:

Cimetière de Samois-sur-Seine

Claim to Fame:

Music

Django Reinhardt was a pioneering Belgian-born Romani guitarist and composer who became one of the most influential figures in European jazz. After a caravan fire in 1928 severely injured his left hand—leaving two fingers partially paralyzed—he developed a groundbreaking technique that allowed him to solo using primarily two fingers, creating a fluid, fiery style that redefined jazz guitar. In the 1930s, he co-founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France with violinist Stéphane Grappelli, pioneering the all-strings format and establishing what became known as “Gypsy jazz.” The group was among the first to play jazz that featured the guitar as a lead instrument. Reinhardt recorded in France with many visiting American musicians, including Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter. Reinhardt composed enduring standards such as “Minor Swing” and “Nuages,” blending American swing with Romani musical traditions. During World War II, he continued performing across occupied Europe, and after the war he toured the United States, even performing with Duke Ellington in 1946. Reinhardt's most popular compositions have become standards within gypsy jazz, including "Minor Swing", "Daphne", "Belleville", "Djangology", "Swing '42", and "Nuages". In his final recordings, made with his Nouvelle Quintette in the last few months of his life, he had begun moving in a new musical direction, in which he assimilated the vocabulary of bebop and fused it with his own melodic style.

The Last Days of Django

He moved into 3 rue du Bas-Samois with wife Naguine and young son Babik. On May 16, 1953 Reinhardt passed out and fell while having a morning cup of tea at a café called Auberge de I’Île, (also known as Chez Fernand). He was taken to the hospital at nearby Fontainebleau. He died, having never regained consciousness. The cause was listed a cerebral hemorrhage, he was just 43 years old.

What is disputed is whether Django collapsed at his doorsteps to his home or Reinhardt passed out and fell while having a morning cup of tea at a café called Auberge de I’Île, (also known as Chez Fernand) after returning from a gig in Paris. Some reports say that it took a doctor a full day to reach the stricken musician. Regardless of the location, he passed away without regaining consciousness.

According to Roma custom, three days after Reinhardt’s death in Samois-sur-Seine his wife Naguine piled up his clothes, treasured Selmer guitar and sundry other possessions, struck a match, and sent his worldly goods up in flames.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Cimetière de Samois-sur-Seine

4 Rue du Bas Samois, 77920

Samois-sur-Seine, Seine-et-Marne,

France

Europe

Map:

Map of Cimetière de Samois-sur-Seine in France

Cimetière de Samois-sur-Seine in France. Photo courtesy of Maude Carrard.

Grave Location:

Carré V, Reinhardt Family Plot

Grave Location Description

As you enter the older cemetery through the iron gates, walk past three major sections to the back wall of the cemetery property. Turn left and walk about 50 feet to the grave of the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt which is 4 spaces at the end of the section on your left.

Grave Location GPS

48.45192229889866, 2.7450754794847683

Photos:

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FAQ's

Django Reinhardt was born on January 23, 1910.

Django Reinhardt was born in Liberchies, Pont-à-Celles, Belgium.

Django Reinhardt died on May 16, 1953.

Django Reinhardt died in Hôpital de Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau, France.

Django Reinhardt was 43.

The cause of death was Cerebral hemorrhage.

Django Reinhardt's grave is in Cimetière de Samois-sur-Seine

Videos Featuring Django Reinhardt:

Django Reinhardt CLIP performing live (1945)

How a two-fingered man became the world’s greatest jazz guitarist

Jazz Hot (1938) The Rare Short Film With Jazz Legend Django Reinhardt

The genius of Django Reinhardt -- Documentary Part I

The genius of Django Reinhardt -- Documentary Part II

Watch YouTube video titled Django Reinhardt - Nuages

Django Reinhardt