Gypsy Jazz

[davidd]

I've always been a fan of Django Reinhardt but have never really tried to play anything like that. Just wondered if any of you lot played that sort of thing and how you got into it..

Cheers

D

[number 46]

Fan here too, he is on my list of the worlds best guitarist and very near the top!!! It is not easy to play, but there are books on the web of transcripts of Django stuff, although so far I have only found them in notation form ( i'm not great at reading on the guitar ) One day when retired and with plenty of free time I will sit down and work at it !!!!
There are also plenty of vids on youtube under Manooche guitar, which is the usual name for this gypsy style of jazz playing. I saw a brilliant french??or Belgium guy play at the Apex in Dundee of all places, a few yaers ago, and he was not that old so the style is difinately still alive!!

[edpryce]

Yes I have been learning this style for a couple of years. Its hard work from the beginning but it is starting to make sense to me now. How good are you at guitar now? (assuming you mean guitar?) A good foundation will help a lot but don't be put off, you can play these tunes quite simply or make them as complicated as you like.

It involves a lot of work on the right hand. Are you familiar with 'rest picking?' A lot of the tone is derived from this so check it out.

Djangobooks is a good forum, but it moves very slowly. Also gypsy jazz school on youtube is good, and has some free content.

Getting the rhythm "la pompe" is vital. So learning a few of the easier tunes and incorporating this is a good place to start.

Minor swing, minor blues, all of me, honeysuckle rose etc

If you look hard enough there are people playing it in the UK. Mostly festivals in the summer but if i can find it all year in the Jazz black hole that is Rugby, I am sure it is everywhere if you look properly.

Don’t try and rush it either!

[davidd]

I'm the best guitarist in the room, as long as there is no one else in the room

But seriously, like driving I doubt I am as good as I think I am and I think I am pretty mediocre at the best of times. One of the reasons for thinking about learning a little of this type of music (beyond the fact that I just think it is really good) is that it would be a good way to improve technique and also learn a bit about the theory which I have never bothered to do.

The runs I was having a go at over the weekend were technically alright after a few goes, the issue is the rhythm and feel.

[edpryce]

ha, well I started thinking I could get away without knowing theory, and have now found myself not only swatting up on it but enjoying it too.

yup, feel is very hard at first, especially if you havent done anything like it before. Bare in mind it IS jazz so lots of nuances which come from playing a lot.

I'd suggest looking up several pompe lessons on youtube(everyone has a slightly different view on how it should be played) and then combining it with something like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l5U_v39h1s

Or another song you are familiar with. That particular channel has many.

I finally realised your soloing is only ever as good as your rhythm so its a good place to start.

However if you only want take a few gypsy licks here and there, youtube/listening is the answer again.

Its a really fun way to play music at whatever level.

Give me a shout if you get stuck.

Edited by edpryce on Tuesday 26th November 12:47

[Lotus 50]

Robin Nolan has written some pretty good books on learning how to play Gypsy Jazz - have a rummage around on you tube for some of his stuff (and Jimmy Rosenberg while you're at it).

[davidd]

Cheers Ed, I really appreciate it. I can see this being a slow progress.

[Ganglandboss]

I've not attempted to play any yet, but it is on my to do list to learn to play some.

I went to see Joscho Stephan a couple of years ago at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. I discovered him when I stumbled across this video a while back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzEb3SatfNg

[davidd]

Ganglandboss said:

I've not attempted to play any yet, but it is on my to do list to learn to play some.

I went to see Joscho Stephan a couple of years ago at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. I discovered him when I stumbled across this video a while back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzEb3SatfNg

That is brilliant, thanks.

[GetCarter]

Whenever I need something a bit Django, I get my mate John Parricelli in. He's a complete bd, being able to deliver first time, every time. I hate people like that. This snippet was from a first take.

http://SteveCarter.com/random/JP1.mp3

[davepoth]

I know the guy on the left here. He makes the guitars about as well as he plays them. I'm a tiny bit jealous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKWMUluYJZo

[davidd]

GetCarter said:

Whenever I need something a bit Django, I get my mate John Parricelli in. He's a complete bd, being able to deliver first time, every time. I hate people like that. This snippet was from a first take.

http://SteveCarter.com/random/JP1.mp3

I'm with you in that hate Very talented.

[davidd]

davepoth said:

I know the guy on the left here. He makes the guitars about as well as he plays them. I'm a tiny bit jealous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKWMUluYJZo

Brilliant, then they start changing time....

[Gaspode]

Hank Marvin is well into this stuff these days, check out his latest album, 'Django's Castle'. For live stuff that goes beyond the normal gypsy repertoire, try Gypsy Fire.

[Justin Cyder]

I saw a very good pub band once, knocking out Django. I had a chat with the guitarist after & asked him what I should do to learn that style. He said, learn your modes. So naturally, I didn't bother.

[GetCarter]

Justin Cyder said:

I saw a very good pub band once, knocking out Django. I had a chat with the guitarist after & asked him what I should do to learn that style. He said, learn your modes. So naturally, I didn't bother.

Modes are brilliant. They are the key. It's where I start every day.

(Hope that wasn't too weird!)

[Gaspode]

Gypsy styles also make a lot of use of diminished scales, minor 6ths and other stuff not encountered in blues/rock/folk stuff. Lack of a fixed pitch font will probably screw this up, but this kind of ascending scale is pretty common.

====================7==12==
===============5=7=8=======
=============4============
========2=4=5==============
======2===================
=0=2=3=====================

Here's my mate Ben Travers warming up in the recording studio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoEDAulHK5E

Edited by Gaspode on Monday 23 December 20:37

[kiteless]

Gaspode said:

Here's my mate Ben Travers warming up in the recording studio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoEDAulHK5E

Edited by Gaspode on Monday 23 December 20:37

Talented lad!

[Gaspode]

kiteless said:

Talented lad!

Indeed. After years playing in bands, recording demo videos for ToneWorld, and plenty of session work including some work on Sade's latest album he is now recording his first solo album. Check out www.bentravers.co.uk for more.

I can't get anywhere close to him, I'm still struggling with mastering clawhammer

[gazza285]

I toured with Martin Taylor in '93 when he did his first Spirit Of Django tour. While I do play guitar, I was the monitor engineer, but they were an impressive band. Jack Emblow on accordion.