There have been many reissues of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France material over the years but this 8CD set ranks as the most comprehensive ever. For the most part, too, it sticks to the exact definition of the string quintet so that other sessions, such as the 1949 Rome reunion of Reinhardt and Grappelli, with piano, bass and drums, are excluded. That said, some of the obscure Parisian dates where the quintet was augmented by other instruments do find their way in as bonus tracks, along with some alternate takes (including a lovely London Decca version of ‘Nuages’). Looking over the 14-year span of the material (despite the World War Two gap from 1939-46, when Django fled back to France, leaving Stéphane in London) the chemistry between the principals remains undimmed, and the feel of the quintet stays essentially similar, not least because of the relatively small repertory company of guitarists and bassists who fleshed out the ranks. There are too many highlights to single out here, but all the great quintet favourites are, of course, included. Unless you are going to lash out on the 20 volume ‘integrale’ Django set from Fremeaux, covering 1928-53 in a series of 3CD boxed sets, this stands as the perfect introduction to his greatest body of work, and to one of the great partnerships in jazz. The sound restoration is first rate, and as Birélli Lagrène says in his liner note, although he grew up with this music, he feels he is hearing it afresh with the musicians close at hand, providing a new source of inspiration for him and – I suspect – many others.