Sarane Ferret

Étienne "Sarane" Ferret (1912–1970) (surname also later spelled Ferré on occasion) was a French musette and gypsy jazz guitarist and composer, a contemporary and musical associate of Django Reinhardt, and the brother of noted Romani guitar players Baro and Matelo Ferret.

He initially made his name as a banjo player in Bals Musette, including with the Italian accordionist Vétese Guérino.

He formed his own quintet in the 1940s, incorporating clarinets on occasion as well as the violin of Georges Effrosse into the "classic" gypsy jazz lineup (Effrosse's tenure with the quintet was short-lived, however, dying in a Nazi concentration camp in 1944);[2][3] Sarane's original compositions included "Cocktail Swing", "Royal Blue" and "Surprise-Party" as well as recording versions of compositions by Django Reinhardt.

Sarane continued to perform through the 1950s and 1960s, though without the recognition of his wartime quintet recordings; at times his bands a variety of accompanists including Jaques "Montagne" Mala, Laro Sollero, René Mailhes and others.

His musical legacy was continued by Francis-Alfred Moerman (1936-2010) who accompanied Sarane many times from 1960 onwards.,[4][5] While Sarane's Swing Quintette was modelled on that of his great contemporary Django Reinhardt, his sound was somewhat different; commentator Michael Dregni states: "I hear in Sarane's fretwork a more deliberate, perhaps cautious guitarist... [his songs] imbued with a remote, even mysterious atmosphere... melodies floating on entrancing airs of minor-key wistfulness.