Those repetitive Rome piano intros

adrian

Jeff Moore wrote: »

Adrian,
Why did you notice this?

I'm not sure how to answer that question... I likely started noticing after the first hundred-or-so listens. These were some of the first Django recordings I ever heard, and I've been listening consistently for ~15 years.

Adrian

Appel

I don't find them repetitive. The keys are different, the tempos are different, the mood is different each time ... what do we need? I'm going to go down to my creek and step into it in the same way, again and again, and think on the nature of exactitude ...

While I look for my rubber boots, I'm reminded of a joke I read on Quora, about a computer programmer who is interviewing for a job. He is asked, what would you do if you were in the lunchroom and the microwave caught on fire? Throw the microwave out the window, replied the programmer. The interviewer considers this for a moment, then says, ok, what would you do if the coffeepot burst into flames? We already have a solution to that problem, said the programmer. I'd put it in the microwave, and throw the microwave out the window.

It's that new kind of funny - clean, efficient, uncluttered with smiles or laughter. But still funny.

wim

I'm surprised Django kept letting him take the intros!? Given how wild and inspired Django's intros can be, from when day is done 1937 through to night and day 1953, I could just imagine him rolling his eyes after hearing this same one for the third or even the second time..

Al Watsky

Its on the A&R guy or "Producer" .

Jazzaferri

It's been a few years. I will listen tonight however the Romevrevordings were not among my fave. His late stuff, his QHCF and the All Star Sessions are my cup of tea.

Teddy Dupont

Wim Glenn wrote: »

I'm surprised Django kept letting him take the intros!? Given how wild and inspired Django's intros can be, from when day is done 1937 through to night and day 1953, I could just imagine him rolling his eyes after hearing this same one for the third or even the second time..

I completely agree. I had noticed long ago that they were very similar but I had not realised they were almost identical until I heard Adrian's compilation.

Django was the master of varied, quirky, original intros and I cannot understand why he let the pianist keep playing essentially the same stuff.

I think Django plays some of the most powerful, commanding and beautiful acoustic guitar ever recorded in these Rome sessions. I think he also is having "a bit of a larf" on some of the tracks.

spatzo

I do not understand the word "larf"...

Attached is a photo (the only one I know) of Gianni Safred, I think he was very young when he played in Rome in 1949 with Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, he died around year 2000.

Safred's introductions (variations on III-#IIdim-II-V) are in fact both very repetitive and functional but he did adapts each time to the mood of the tune. It works...
By the way I often thought that Django didn't enyoyed Safred's playing : in fact never Django plays rhythm when Safred is improvising and he immediately comes back on Grappelli solos of final themes, but on one tune (I Saw Stars) Gianni Safred makes more choruses than he usually did and ended on a pure Fats Waller stride impro that provoked Django's shouting for true approval. He also makes the same effect on another tune but with no enthousiastic shouts from Django as Django was only surprised once.

By the way we have to observe that the formula isn't that simple in Rome 1949, in fact there are several kind of simple arrangements on those records:

-Theme by Grappelli with Django and Grappelli soloing - no piano impro
-Theme by Grappelli with Django and Grappelli soloing - with piano impro
- Intro-lead and solos by Django and solos by Grappelli
- Piano intros and solos with theme/solos by Grappelli and Reinhardt
- Piano intros with theme/solos only by Grappelli and Reinhardt
- Theme and impros only duos with Grappelli and Django (Manoir de Mes Rêves)
- Two voices themes with impros by Reinhardt and Grappelli (Dream Of You)
- etc. (we can distinguish many other nuances...)

Those recordings are on my opinion among the best recorded by Django and Grappelli. Django's sound, his improvisations and endless ideas when comping are just marvels.

Gianni Safred ended his carrier composing and recording electronic science fiction space oriented music I prefer not to comment

Teddy Dupont

spatzo wrote: »

I do not understand the word "larf"...

British slang for "laugh". He does not seem to take some of the tunes too seriously and performs in a rather playful fashion.

spatzo wrote: »

.........Gianni Safred makes more choruses than he usually did and ended on a pure Fats Waller stride impro that provoked Django's shouting for true approval. He also makes the same effect on another tune but with no enthousiastic shouts from Django as Django was only surprised once.

Yes I always have to smile when Safred lapses into stride piano. It is as if he suddenly forgets what type of music he is supposed to be playing. I have read that Django was not happy with that particular rhythm section but I do not know how true that is. For me, Safred is a pleasantly swinging but unremarkable pianist.

I agree Django is quite brilliant here and Grappelli's technique has improved massively from the early string quintet days. Creatively, Django is still streets ahead but Grappelli pretty much matches him technically. A great way to finish a wonderful musical relationship.

Jeff Moore

Adrian
It's a riot. I'm tickled you noticed! It's also the only Django I'd heard for the first year give or take. It changed everything. My classically trained bandmate thought I oughta break out of the 60's in 1991 and ran off a tape of Rome. It still makes me laugh in wonder at how impossibly fresh it is. It was all I listened to for a long long time. Everything else didn't seem important anymore. I would carry it to work and strain everybody with it.
The guy we were remodeling for, knew Grappelli and started playing this stuff while we worked after he heard me playing the cassette. He was a Hollywood producer of some sort and a decent pianist, and also captivated with this music.
Those recordings were like a new world to play in.

gatsby

Interesting topic. The similarities between the various introductions had always struck me. Overall I find them good and appropriate, and they announce Django, so it all ends well.

I can think of two that stand out and that I like in particular:
All The Things You Are
and the beautiful, melancholy intro to Honeysuckle Rose, very subtle and powerful.

Don't forget Grappelli's piano intro to The Man I Love in the late 1930s (38? 39?). Absolutely gorgeous too.