Record

CodeDS/UK/11873
NameGrappelli; Stephane (26 January 1908-1 December 1997); French-born Italian jazz violinist
Variations of NameStefano Grappelli
Dates26 January 1908-1 December 1997
GenderMale
Place of Birth/OriginParis, France (born)
RelationshipsSon of Ernesto Grappelli (Italian marchese) and Anna Emilie Hanoque (French scholar)
BiographyStéphane Grappelli was a French-Italian jazz violinist who founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the first all-string jazz bands. He has been called "the grandfather of jazz violinists" and continued playing concerts around the world well into his 80s.

For the first three decades of his career, he was billed using a gallicised spelling of his last name, Grappelly, reverting to Grappelli in 1969. The latter, Italian spelling, is now used almost universally when referring to the violinist, including reissues of his early work.

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