Belgian musicians

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 24. Chapters: Django Reinhardt, Jan Robbe, Wim Mertens, Nicholas Lens, Praga Khan, Peter Vermeersch, Steve Willaert, Pascal Gabriel, Michel Herr, Netsky, Helmut Lotti, List of Belgian bands and artists, Antwerp & District Pipe Band, Danny Devos, Sophie Watillon, Charles Remue, Jean-Marc Lederman, Vincent Kenis, Ozark Henry, Pierre Vervloesem, Evi Goffin, Wieland Kuijken, Maja Jantar, Simon Lenski, Johan Hoogewijs, Fapy Lafertin, Marc Moulin, Jean Louis Gobbaerts, Jean Kluger, Bart Maris, Kris Wauters, Dave McCullen, Rudolf Werthen, Fabrice Lig, Jean-Jacques Blairon, Louis Hillier. Excerpt: Jean "Django" Reinhardt (French pronunciation: ; 23 January 1910 - 16 May 1953) was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer. Born into a family of Romani gypsies Reinhardt invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique (sometimes called 'hot' jazz guitar) that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture. With violinist Stéphane Grappelli, he co-founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France, described by critic Thom Jurek as "one of the most original bands in the history of recorded jazz." Reinhardt's most popular compositions have become jazz standards, including "Minor Swing", "Daphne", "Belleville", "Djangology", "Swing '42" and "Nuages" (French for "Clouds"). Born in Liberchies, Pont-à-Celles, Belgium, Reinhardt's nickname "Django" is Romani for: "I awake." He spent most of his youth in Romani (Gypsy) encampments close to Paris, playing banjo, guitar and violin from an early age. His family made cane furniture for a living, but included several keen amateur musicians. He started by playing the violin and eventually moved on to a banjo-guitar that had been given to him as a gift. His first known recordings (in 1928) were of him playing the banjo. During this period he was influenced by two older gypsy musicians, the banjoist Gusti Mahla and the guitarist Jean "Poulette" Castro. Able to make a living in music from his early teens onwards, he received little formal education and only acquired the rudiments of literacy in adult life. At the age of 18, Reinhardt was injured in a fire that ravaged the caravan he shared with Florine "Bella" Mayer, his first wife. They were very poor, and to supplement their income Bella made imitation flowers out of celluloid and paper. Consequently, their home was full of this highly flammable material. Returning from a performance late one night, Reinhardt apparently knocked over a candle on his way to bed. While his family and neighbours were quick to pull him to safety, he received first-