Sweet and Lowdown : Could it have been based on Eddie Lang…?

Could it have been based on Eddie Lang…?

I'm listening to an Eddie Lang CD right now, just saw it at Amoeba Records in Hollywood while searching out Jazz CD's and picked it up, and well, gee, it sounds like Django lite, a little bit of the Gypsy stuff in there, but his own playing for sure.

Mr. Lang's a real good player, don't get me wrong. What interests me is that he was in his hay-day in the mid ‘20’s to early '30's so... maybe Penn's character was based a bit on this guy? Right time, right place….?

Good player for sure, lived a too short life:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Lang

Re: Could it have been based on Eddie Lang…?

Don't think so because Lang was before Django and I think Emmett Ray is supposed to be later than Django.

I don't think it is based on anyone.

Re: Could it have been based on Eddie Lang…?

Unlike Emmet Ray, Lang was supposed to be a super nice guy, as well as the first great jazz guitarist. He recorded with just about everyone: King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke and Red Nichols; Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Ruth Etting, the Boswell Sisters, Texas Alexander and Bing Crosby. He and his lifelong friend, violinist Joe Venuti were the inspiration for the Reinhardt-Grappelli Hot Club of France group.

(Only on IMDB is a 10 year gap irrelevant.)
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