Those repetitive Rome piano intros

adrian · January 2016

For years I've chuckled over how repetitive/unoriginal the piano intros are in Django's 1948/1949 Rome sessions. I made a "supercut" putting them all together, for effect:

bopster · January 2016

Thanks for the earwig Adrian! I hadn't thought about this until you brought it up.

opus20000 · January 2016

That's all they knew how to play in those days

)

Al Watsky · January 2016

Isn't there a story about these sessions from the piano player in fact, saying that he was hired on a recommendation and there was no music director so they would call a tune and key and he was required to play a 4 measure intro. He was a very young talented guy but not prepared for the session. Though it would seem that he knew the tunes, which is why he got the gig in the first place I guess. Thats why lionizing this stuff is sorta silly. Everything but the guitar is formulaic , its charming OK but ? #:-S

richter4208 · January 2016

soundslice the @#$#@$ Adrian!

Bones · January 2016

:-)

Here's one that is different (Ou Es Tu Mon Amour) but maybe that's because it is in a minor (rather than major) key and a ballad. I've always liked this intro and want to adapt it for guitar. Maybe I'll work on that now that I'm thinking of it.

Django's accompaniment behind the violin solo is also epic (not to change subjects)

Buco · January 2016

But come on, the first one is very original!

Jazzaferri · January 2016

Hmmmm......lol.... @Buco ......a sense of humour you have

Jeff Moore · January 2016

Adrian,
Why did you notice this? I loved all those openings for years, but hadn't noticed the elephant next to the piano. Each one is a masterpiece or maybe each one is the same masterpiece?
Off the topic, Django's effort in Rome is the best? In other words, Is there another elephant I'm to dim to notice? This has always been my favorite Django. Darker-moody. Also the piano solos seem totally inspired in Rome. Am I stupid?