Bireli Lagrene - Foreign Affairs (1988/2019)

Guitarist Bireli Lagrene, who started out as a young teenager very influenced by Django Reinhardt, has made a strong attempt to get away from the Reinhardt gypsy image. On this set, his guitar is often very rock-oriented and, although there are some acoustic moments, the emphasis is on fusion originals. The music is spirited and fun but not performed with a great deal of subtlety. Bireli Lagrene's future development (which direction will he head in next?) should be well worth watching.