[Controversial] Why is there not any great US guitarists?

Passacaglia

Denis, It makes me sad that you had to speak up for yourself...it''s not fair and you don't deserve that from a person claiming to be part of a community that you have dedicated your adult life to helping support.

Took the words out of my mouth. It saddens me, and I find it pretty shameful, actually. I tried to sincerely keep listening when the question was posed, but that grew really difficult once the snide set of comments came out.

He wouldn't know it, but I've learned more from Denis than anyone else, and more than I can ever hope to repay by giving my art to another, in the way he has for so many.

dennis

haha thanks, like i said, i'm totally cool with people not liking what i do (i often feel the same way about myself anyway ha) but i originally responded because of the irony of the statement that i couldn't get a gig at l'atelier charonne when i have actually been offered gigs by one of my friends who used to play their very regularly (maybe he still does)... i have also played at the other big gypsy jazz place, la taverne de cluny. I know the ex owner of that place who also had another similar venue in toulouse; i played there too with tchavolo hassan, tchiquito lambert and his nephew stalone...

like i said getting gigs is much more about connections than talent (although talent is still important)

and i've mentioned it earlier as well but i stopped being working on being a superstar player a few years ago; i have myself to blame for that, if i had continued the same way gonzalo always did, i'm sure i'd be much much better. I still somewhat improve though, as I do have a really good memory and very advanced relative pitch; i can transcribe and learn without the need of an instrument in my hands. But practicing is 90% of the deal.

Passacaglia

Just a p.s. - thanks, Denis, on filling in what the Paris scene is like. Glad to see the noble tradition of ridicule hasn't died out. Seems right - same thing in a French kitchen. Though not my French kitchen. As a chef, I was a puppy. Really.

Thanks, too, on the info about gypsy culture farther afield.

I'm dying, man....really do have to get over there.

kevingcox

Hey Denis, looking forward to seeing you again at Django in June after all these years. We can continue my training so that you have a rhythm section ready, willing and (*cough*) able when you decide to tour the Maritimes

-K

Bones

Hey Dennis,

I think we were making the same point. What I was saying is that it takes a huge commitment to get to the VERY ELITE top in the GJ soloists (even rhythm) and I know for a fact (I personally heard him say so) that Bireli started when he was so small that he couldn't hold the guitar properly and practiced like 8-10 hours a day. I'm sure (but don't know) that Stochelo has a similar story. As you said, starting 'late' is like starting at 15 or 16. There's probably the exceptional ones who can start really late (like in their 30's???) and get really good anyway but what I was talking about was the very tip top and they kind of set the proverbial bar.

I also know that Gonzalo committed MAJOR time and sacrificed a lot to get to where he is.

And by the way, there is no shame in wanting to have a life, and despite not locking yourself in the shed since you were in diapers you definitely sound great!

Also, thanks so much for the instructional material that you have provided (dvds). They have helped me a lot in my journey. The fact is, here in the states I couldn't have figured out any of this stuff properly without your and Michaels material (among others). I remember when I first got hooked before I found your stuff I was trying to figure out Django's intro on When Day Is Done off of a recording and couldn't even figure out the plain Gm arp section, for example. Now I can play the whole thing and even figured out his solo on the head. The reason I can figure stuff out for myself now is that I know a bit about the idiom due to all the info that I've received from you guys!

My wife probably thinks you've created a monster!!!

Charles Meadows

Denis, That was a great excursus, about your relationships with the various gypsy players. I love this music - but I have also found myself very interested in what Gypsy culture is like. It would be cool to make it over there and just hang out. Maybe when the kids are off at college...

Jazzaferri

I can tell you why Dennis isn't a great U.S. guitarist...but that would be just stating the obvious for those who know him

kevorkazito

Denis, as a fellow Canadian and a budding GJ guitarist I am proud to call you a hero. I have all your learning materials and enjoy your playing very much.

To my ears, you are as enjoyable to listen as all those other players named. But what do I know, I just love music

Jim Kaznosky

Bob's response is the answer we are looking for. Guitar players who are dedicated to this style are sometimes seen just here as one flavor of jazz guitar player, and often seen as the kid brother tugging at the coat tails of the other stylists. Or that may just be true in my neck of these big woods.

Also, Denis Chang. As a few others have aptly noted, his contributions to GJ are pretty great. He's affected more people than he can imagine and with DC Music School, he's extending his influence outside of GJ. I almost feel like I know him because his videos are so personable and it feels like he is talking directly to you. (Brief aside akin to Roch's statement...just because we've seen these guys in videos doesn't mean we know them either...more food for thought). Denis is more of a player than his instructional videos let on. I've seen some performance videos before I met him last year at DiJ, and had a sense that he was really really good. The moment that changed was at the guitar expo that Michael Bauer generously hosts. He was one of the four people (along with Jeff Radaich, Christine Tassan, and Emmet Mahoney) who where part of the combined wine tasting/guitar expo last year and his solo on Danse Norvegienne was one of the best things I heard last year (no disrespect to anyone else out there...its hard to choose moments. Adrian H playing Honeysuckle Rose on the last night at about 2am under the tent was pretty sublime and very memorable, too.) With the talent that was assembled last year, that's a tall order. It was the moment that I realized that he is a great player and clearly up there with the rest of those cats. I mean, if he's not so good, then why does every great player want to play with him?

There are a number of really really good younger players that can certainly hang with the best. Emmet, Jeff, Adrian H, Luke H, Jack S, Alex Simon to name a few. That is outside of the guys who have been doing it for awhile here too, like Greg Ruby, Barry, Paul Mehling, the guys in Hot Club of Detroit, Alphonso Ponticelli, and of course, Michael H. Also our transplanted Jersey boy, Stephane. I can't name them all.
And then even outside of just the players alone, we have DiJ, DFNW which have prompted a number of other fests to happen in the midwest and in the southeast. I'd say we're doing ok here.

Jazzaferri

Lets not take ourselves too seriously....no one else in the music world does

Seriously though I see a big increase in fan and musician interest in our chosen passion in my local area. There are some pretty fine players here and for the second year running there was a sold out one evening Django Festival.