Columbia Chronicle gypsy jazz article

Stringswinger

At Le Chops De Puce in Paris, where Ninine Garcia plays each weekend ( it is a major hangout for the French Gypsys), there is a collage on the wall of great Gypsy guitarists. There is one non- gypsy in that collage, the late, great Joe Pass.

Jazzaferri

Great post @thickpick. You can hear The combination of Joe and Django in Martin Taylor's music.

Django has been and always will be a huge influence on me. But I let that influence be just that. Even if my technique was as good as his (ROFL..yah never) I couldn't sound like him as, IMO, it's not about technique, licks chops or any of that. Being a great musician is a state of mind and he had his influences.

Django was always looking forward, moving forward. I don't know what he would have made of Gypsy Jazz but I am sure he would of been horrified at the concept of GJ Police. I am starting to see more of that mindset in the GJcommunity. :laugh:

kevingcox

Just to be clear, I fully support everyone's freedom to play whatever the heck they want however they want. At the same time that doesn't mean I have to listen to it. Nor does that mean that I don't respect them as accomplished musicians.

When I first heard Gypsy Jazz I immediately thought something like "holy crap, I have to learn how to do that!" Listening to that Joe Pass video my first reaction was "gee, he knows a lot of voicings" and then I thought that if I had to accompany someone singing in that style then what he does could be useful. Then I realized I used the words "if I had to" and I don't have to because I don't want to. I don't find that laid back late swing style to be of particular interest.

I certainly don't think any of the musicians I have mentioned should be making different musical decisions in order to please me. I think they should be doing what they love and if there is overlap then so be it.

MattHenry

I'm glad this thread exists because I was about to go into this a bit too much in that thread from Adrian about Gonzalo's new band.

Historically, it's cool if both sides of the atlantic are kind of looking across the pond in terms of their inspiration. For me, I like my gypsy jazz as old school as possible.

Like Kevin said, these guys are beasts and they should play what they want and go where their spirits take them. HowEVER, I'll always prefer Benoit in the grass to Les doigts de l'homme with their original tunes full of busy unison/harmony arrangements. The same is true of Gonzalo in the grass compared to his originals with violin or box drum. The same is true of Adrien in the grass compared to his Entre Actes duets with Rocky on archtop. It's wonderful, creative music, I just think they're leaving a lot of blank space in SoundSlice that could have been swinging, improvised guitar solos. And anyway, these guys are still full of their own modern style when they play old school shit.



My bassist is a history professor and he'd be on this thread pointing out that Django wanted to be like Louis Armstrong so in that sense the Berellification is the most authentic thing about the European scene. But he's always making goofy historian observations like that and it doesn't help to encourage him.

Jazzaferri

I have lost count of the number of artists who I have heard comment that all the audience wants to dear is hear their old stuff and they have all this new stuff that far better tells their story now than that old stuff they did.

'Twas ever thus and likely will always be....I suspect one of the big factors on long term commercial success is playing to your audience rather than ones artistry. :shock:

@Kevincox. I think it is very important for an musician who wants to entertain his audience to pay very careful attention to what you want to hear. If not, why go on stage to perform...stick to backroom jamming and get a different job.