gypsy jazz on bebop

Franz Morales

wow,great replies. I learned a lot! OK, so GJ soloing in a modern context won't always fit... but what if the structure of the song fits the GJ ideal, albeit played in a 'normal' manner? say - off the top of my head - honeysuckle rose, played at the same tempo, same chord changes, same everything except in a more modern way without the la pompe?

Jazzaferri

Well it would be honeysuckle rose...if you start ripping Octatonic scales on the dominant parts of the harmony you might be considered modern sounding .or playing your whole solo using Brecker like Penatatonics ..same. But......ones solo would however likely start to clash with the harmony. Swing era chord changes use a lot of 6/9 and maj 7 chords which do not easily fit with modern improvisational ideas as they are too settled, too sweet sounding.

Comping in jazz is an art in itself and very much a part of the conversation. There is no settled standard rhythm. Listen to the freedom Django had and used in his few recordings with Rex Stewart and Barney Bigard. Even back then it was happening, just not quite as sophisticated as today. You wouldn't get any modern jazz guitarist or pianist to play the standard chord changes. Except perhaps early in the head. They change to reflect what the soloist is saying. Its a conversation.

lacrossehotclub

https://youtube.com/watch?v=EzU33tLuilM

Al Watsky

A Trane tune with the GJ "pompe" is one thing.
A tune like Nuage with Modern Jazz rhythm is another.
Taking a modal tune and making it in to a rhythmic nostalgia tour de force is in some ways interesting. In some ways very not interesting.
What might be more interesting is taking a Jazz tune like Confirmation and playing it as a samba like Roby Lakatos does.
He will do that and still make it sound rom by the way he emotes and his sound. Still in the tradition though the rhythm has changed.
The rhythmic esthetic of the scene needs to grow if its to progress and I don't just mean learning a Gypsy Kings Rumba and laying it over everything. IMO

Jazzaferri

Listening to Django playing rythm on his tracks with Rex Stewart and Barney Bigard....he got that idea @Al Watsky .....what has happened to the rest of us...LOL

Teddy Dupont

Jazzaferri wrote: »

Listening to Django playing rythm on his tracks with Rex Stewart and Barney Bigard....he got that idea @Al Watsky .....what has happened to the rest of us...LOL

It has all simply become too formulaic.

Jazzaferri

Kinda like classical music...maybe time for a GJ Stravinsky ?

Al Watsky

We already have Baro Ferret , he's the Stravinsky of GJ.

Jazzaferri

Do you mean Boulous ?? Baro that I know of been done and gone for a wee while.

Al Watsky

No I mean Baro. He d'aid. I've been knowin' that.
Boulous is cool, but he's more like the Bach of GJ than the Stravinsky.
:giggle: