"Un Harmonica Pour Django" Yvonnick Prene Quartet
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Un Harmonica pour Django (USA)
This ensemble is a heartfelt tribute to the timeless music of Django Reinhardt, blending virtuosic improvisation, fresh arrangements, and the rare voice of the chromatic harmonica.
We’ve appeared at venues and festivals including the Rochester International Jazz Festival, New York Gypsy Fest, and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, among others.
I grew up just outside Paris, and like many musicians, my earliest education began at home—with my father’s record collection. That’s where I first discovered Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club of France. I was ten years old. On that same CD compilation, I also heard Django alongside the American harmonica pioneer Larry Adler.
They only recorded a handful of tracks together in Paris in 1938, but the sound left a lasting impression—swinging, lyrical, and balanced. The Selmer-Maccaferri guitars and upright bass created a light tapestry that didn’t overpower the harmonica. It was a rare setting where a harmonica player could be heard without amplification. I had never encountered the harmonica in that kind of ensemble before, and the sound stayed with me.
Yvonnick and Bireli - Photo by Franck Wolf
Un Harmonica pour Django was recorded on April 22 and 23, 2025, at Studio La Menuiserie in Noisy-le-Sec, just outside Paris. Leading the session on chromatic harmonica was Yvonnick Prené, joined by some of the finest musicians on the gypsy jazz scene: Adrien Moignard on lead guitar, Mathieu Chatelain on rhythm guitar, and Diego Imbert on upright bass. As a special guest, the legendary Biréli Lagrène contributed on lead guitar. The Paris session was engineered by Rémi Bourcereau, while an additional recording took place on April 28, 2025, at WM Music Studio in Obermodern, France, with Franck Wolf as sound engineer. Mixing and mastering were handled by Romain Clisson. The project was produced by Daniel Yvinec.
USA Live Performances:
Grateful to the Rochester Beacon for the kind words in their festival coverage :
"The Yvonnick Prene Quartet kept the festival interesting, showing the audience in Montage Music Hall how much someone can riff on the harmonica. Their show was called “A Harmonica For Django,” and it was an entire tribute to Django Reinhardt. Reinhardt is an iconic Romani guitarist and composer who effectively invented Manouche Jazz, a mix between swing music and traditional Romani folk music. With immense respect and appreciation for Reinhardt, this quartet covered some of his best songs, some of his lesser-known songs, and even some that were never recorded.
Reinhardt was not a harmonicist, but he was known to sometimes have a harmonica in his band. Even if he didn’t, Yvonnick Prene’s harmonica could still keep up with any sort of instrument or musician that Reinhardt recorded with. His skills on the chromatic harmonica dispel all of the limitations of a tiny, overlooked instrument. Frequently, Prene would trade solos with the guitarist or follow the guitar’s runs in unison, with perfect accuracy. He made it seem like the harmonica could really do anything, and its sharp and thin tone fit perfectly within the style of jazz that the four musicians paid tribute to.
Prene was backed by two guitarists—Dion Berardo on lead and Josh Kaye on rhythm—and the bassist Clovis Nicolas. The four of them had complete control over these ornate and beautiful songs, bringing the magic of Reinhardt to life and prompting me to wish I were listening to this while relaxing in a nice restaurant in Paris. If you don’t know what I could mean by that, look up any Django Reinhardt song, and you’ll recognize this style of music from any movie that has a French restaurant in it. "The Rochester Beacon
