L’Oeil Noir (The Black Eye) is a nineteenth-century tune described in sources as a Russian Gypsy song and made popular by Django Reinhardt - the tune gave its name to the French band Les Yeux Noirs. The group blends jazz manouche with Romani, Yiddish, and Klezmer influences, creating a sound that ranges from traditional melodies to modern jazz textures. The band was founded by two violinists, Eric and Olivier Slabiak, with a rotating lineup that has included Franck Anastasio, Georghe Ene, Pascal Rondeau, François Perchat, Aidje Tafial, Marian Miu, and Constantin Bitica. The exact year of release for L’Oeil Noir isn’t specified in the provided content, but Les Yeux Noirs has released several albums since 1992, including A band of Gypsies (1992), Suites (1994), Izvoara (1997), Balamouk (2000), Live (2002), tChorba (2004), and tiganeasca (2010). The tune and the band sit firmly in the Gypsy Jazz tradition with Klezmer and Romani influences.
