“Swing Star” is an instrumental gypsy jazz piece by Sarane Ferret (Étienne “Sarane” Ferret, 1912-1970), a French musette and gypsy jazz guitarist and composer who was a contemporary and associate of Django Reinhardt and the brother of the guitarists Baro and Matelo Ferret. The original recording dates from 1941, when Sarane Ferret et Le Swing Quintette de Paris issued it as a 10-inch shellac 78 rpm on the Odeon label in France (catalogue number 281.485), with “Miami” on the B-side.
The tune is a swing single written for the classic gypsy jazz quintet lineup of guitars, violin and clarinet. It is classed as jazz, in the swing and gypsy jazz styles. Being instrumental, it has no lyrics, so the melody and the ensemble parts carry the whole performance.
