The four musicians who make up Les Doigts de L’Homme–The Fingers of Man–come from very different musical backgrounds, but their sense of curiosity and love for gipsy jazz has brought them together around this music. They’re not interested in reproducing what was being played 50 years ago, but rather boosting gipsy jazz into travelling further. In their repertoire, you’ll find unexpected covers such as a swing version of Ravel’s “Bolero” and old French songs like Serge Gainsbourg’s “Le poinçonneur des Lilas,” plus original compositions stirred by the energy of rock ‘n’ roll.
Connecting gipsy jazz and gipsy rock, their music explodes with creativity, dexterity and humor. The themes are at times profound and full of emotions, then giving way to very fast Tzigane-like tempos. Even as they develop and tour throughout the world, they remain focused to their original mission of reinventing gipsy jazz while remaining true to the style and inspirations that are universal, notably oriental and Balkan.
2010 was the 100th anniversary of Django Reinhardt’s birth, and Les Doigts de l’Homme wanted to celebrate their main inspiration and come back to their roots with the album 1910 . In this album and their current live act, they put on a new show around Django’s repertoire but with the Les doigts de l’Homme touch. The arrangements are complex, inspired and beautiful. Wishing to create a music that is popular and accessible for the mass public, the interpretation remains fluid, clear and musical.