"Aha!" moments studying gypsy jazz

Jazzaferri

Will....and others who believe that 1 and 3 or 2 and 4 are jazzy......check out Mike Longo (played keys for Dizzy Gillespie for years) " the Rhythmic Nature of Jazz. Good jazz phrasing, including DR is inherently polyrhythmic. Listen carefully to Django playing Douce.

Matteo

Yes indeed, what you really should do is to simultaneously tap 3/4 with one hand on one knee and 4/4 with the other hand on the other knee. However, that's hard to do while maintaining a good rest stroke technique on your guitar. :-)

Jazzaferri

I be seen Wes Mackey playing high hat with one foot...doing the time keeping role......bass pedals with another, guitar with both hands and singing.....one man with a great syncopated blues groove.

The song will lead the way...all ya gotta do is listen.

Matteo

You can have that 3/4 and 4/4 going on inside of you while you play. That's what a jazz pro told me.

Jazzaferri

Yep indeed and add 6/8 12/8 and 7/4 and 5/4 and you get poly rythm LOL

Matteo

3/4 and 4/4 together is the African roots of jazz rhythm. It's the basis of everything. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.

kevingcox

I don't think I've ever heard a good musician say "I'd really rather not be able to do these things.. if only my sense of timing was a little less well developed I'd be very happy."

Matteo

Me neither. What are you referring to?

Matteo

If it was any of my posts above, I meant the ability to play with the beat, that is sometimes choose to play right on the beat, sometimes a little a head and sometimes a little behind.

Jazzaferri

That ability @Matteo is the expression true freedom and artistry........when changing rhythmic timing becomes part of the feel