Henri "Lousson" Baumgartner-Reinhardt was the first and oldest son of Django Reinhardt. About him and his life is known only very little.Lousson was born in 1928 by Django Reinhardt´s first wife Mrs. Florine "Bella" Mayer-Baumgartner, from whom however Django had separated already before Lousson's birth.
As the story´s been told Django did not deal a lot with him and his career. In contrast to his ebullient love to his 2nd son Babik, Django seemed to have no big interest in Lousson at all.
As well as his younger brother Babik Reinhardt, Lousson was an excellent guitarist.Because Lousson was the older son, he now and again accompanied his father Django Reinhardt as a rhythm guitarist in the first years of the Quintette and was involved even on some recordings of the Quintette du Hotclub de France in the 1940s.
Like many guitarists of the 2nd Gypsy-generation (as well as Babik and others) Lousson more loved to play modern jazz on electric Archtop-guitars. Regardless of his modern, Bebop-influenced playing-style his technology and the repertoire was still marked strongly by his Gypsy-roots.
Photo left: Henri "Lousson" Baumgartner 1980 at the Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois on one of his last official appearances in public. After "not beeing recognized" as a musician at all by critics nor public, wether after playing alongside with him or always in the shadow of his big father figure Django, Lousson finally resignd and quit playing music for good. He died cast away from public by broken heart - what a shame.
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