MEDIA: Cocktail Party Messages

Tieles

This is an interesting thread, and I hope it continues a while. Some good ideas have been posted for promoting GJ music, but I think some basic communication principles should be considered (mostly related to the "audience" for your message):

When you want to inform someone about what you are defining, the less said, the better. I'd pick no more than three concepts to communicate at once -- for example, "fly fishing for trout" gets the idea across: 'nuff said.

In promoting a band to a bar/club owner, the more words used, the more likely you are to invoke one that has a bad association for the owner -- he might have had a bad experience with "jazz," "rock," "blues," "jam," etc.

Particular song titles would not help much unless the audience was familiar with the specific version you mention; jazz standards are far from standard in performance. Mentioning a Rodgers/Hammerstein song might not always give the audience a clear image of Coltrane.

I'd also avoid "insider" language, that is, things that mean one thing to a GJ player, something else to others: "swing" doesn't always mean what you might think it means.

As much as I find the concept of "music to eat hedgehogs by" appealing, I have to admit, that's way inside, but a lot of simpler terms used by GJ players are just as inside for non-players.

Pedantic language doesn't sell well, except for those who understand and value the concepts: the history of GJ is not the foremost concern of a club owner.

The term that best communicates what we think when we talk about this music is "Gypsy Jazz," regardless of how we feel about labels in general and that one in particular. It's better to let the audience ask "what's that?" than to give more information than necessary.

So, for the "bullet" responses, I'd consider what concepts evoke the kind of image you want to create in the audience. Phylum, class, order is a good way to think: give general info and let curiousity open the door to more detailed info: "tell me more."

Concepts to consider: acoustic, guitar, jazz, gypsy-influenced, 1930s, Django, _Sweet & Lowdown_, and perhaps beyond that, just answering questions.

The proof is in the playing, and club owners who frankly don't care what GJ is can appreciate what it is and what it does once you are in the door.

(Somewhat) brief anecdote: a friend recorded a CD of traditional accordion polka music and we went to a local college bar to pick up a copy of the mix from the engineer, whose rock band was playing there. When the band went on break, the engineer put the CD on over the PA, and my friend wanted to crawl under the bar because he thought this was the wrong place, wrong time. What actually happened was that the club owner came over to say that he was selling more beer during the break, with the polkas playing, than he had during the last set: "Bring that CD every time you play here." When he found out the accordion player was there, he wanted to book him into the club. Now, how in the world would I ever have found a way to approach the club owner to "sell" him accordion polka music by just talking about it?

Some friends and I got one gig by just saying "how 'bout some acoustic music on the patio (of your club) before the band starts?" When his patrons said, "I want to hear more of THAT," we had sold what we did effectively.

The proof is in the playing: get in the door with as few words as possible, then just play.

Tony

(And yes, I'm aware of the irony of using so many words to express Strunk & White's advice: "omit needless words. omit needless words. omit needless words.")

kimmo

dennis wrote:

I don't know about that , I don't hear much direct gypsy influence when i listen to django...

I do. I'll start by quoting Scot about Gypsy jazz (thread Tradition in Gypsy Picking section):

scot wrote:

This isn't gypsy music, I'd agree with that. Even in the film Latcho Drom, there is no gypsy music. What there is, is many gypsy musicians putting their own cultural stamp on whatever regional music they are playing – which is what gypsy musicians have always done. This is no different.

That particular "cultural stamp" of Gypsies that they have applied to the different musics can be simplified into a list of distinctive features: melodic inventiveness with frequent embellishments, chromatic runs and other decorative elements spiced with percussive effects like tremolos played with lively varying rhythm and extreme virtuosity using a distinctive, piercing sound. And most often music is performed on portable instruments, mostly stringed ones.

Did I just describe pre-war QHCF? The sound, attack and drive of Django's guitar that is so much stronger than that of anybody else of his contemporaries is to my mind for a very large part due to the Gypsy influences. If you listen to the Quintet's recordings from 1934-37 (before Decca-era), you find daring intros and endings sometimes played rubato, frequent changes of key and tempo, etc., just as you can find in the performances in the film Latcho Drom. Just listen to the intros in In a Sentimental Mood or When Day Is Done or the modulations in Lady Be Good – there's the G in GJ.

kimmo

stubla

kimmo wrote:

dennis wrote:

I don't know about that , I don't hear much direct gypsy influence when i listen to django...

I do. I'll start by quoting Scot about Gypsy jazz (thread Tradition in Gypsy Picking section):

scot wrote:

This isn't gypsy music, I'd agree with that. Even in the film Latcho Drom, there is no gypsy music. What there is, is many gypsy musicians putting their own cultural stamp on whatever regional music they are playing – which is what gypsy musicians have always done. This is no different.

That particular "cultural stamp" of Gypsies that they have applied to the different musics can be simplified into a list of distinctive features: melodic inventiveness with frequent embellishments, chromatic runs and other decorative elements spiced with percussive effects like tremolos played with lively varying rhythm and extreme virtuosity using a distinctive, piercing sound. And most often music is performed on portable instruments, mostly stringed ones.

Did I just describe pre-war QHCF? The sound, attack and drive of Django's guitar that is so much stronger than that of anybody else of his contemporaries is to my mind for a very large part due to the Gypsy influences. If you listen to the Quintet's recordings from 1934-37 (before Decca-era), you find daring intros and endings sometimes played rubato, frequent changes of key and tempo, etc., just as you can find in the performances in the film Latcho Drom. Just listen to the intros in In a Sentimental Mood or When Day Is Done or the modulations in Lady Be Good – there's the G in GJ.

kimmo

Kinmmo--I absolutely agree!
Django is DRENCHED in the music of his forefathers--but its also Jazz....
Django in minor key mode is SO Gypsy--all that ornamentation in the soloing;all those rolls in the rhythm as well.
And look at all those long phrased 'triplet' licks --one of the keys to his style--and one of the aspects thats most ignored because its so damned difficult to execute!
This triplet feel derives,i've always felt, from the Musette 'rondo variation' influence;those long triplet phrases and feeling have absolutely no precedent in Jazz,save a few examples in Tatum's and Hine's work
Listen to 'Blues Mineur'(BTW--if you can pull that off-you're near to the soul of this Music imho)
and then tell me this is 'Just' jazz--of course it's so much more......
which is what grips ME at any rate.
Best
Stu

Chad

stubla wrote:

Listen to 'Blues Mineur'(BTW--if you can pull that off-you're near to the soul of this Music imho)
and then tell me this is 'Just' jazz--of course it's so much more......
which is what grips ME at any rate.
Best
Stu

What I get mostly is passoin and intensity. No matter the feeling, turn the intensity up several notches and there you go. The joyful jumping of Djangology, the sonorous sweetness of Nuages, the frenetic mayhem of Heavy Artillery, all prime examples of the spirit of the music inspired by Django.
This stuff truly swings. No blandness where there is fire.
Chad

Tele295

Ando wrote:

consider replying to Archtop's question with other forms. For example:

- Gypsy jazz will have everyone in here tapping their feet and feeling good.
- Gypsy jazzers don't use drums, synthesizers, pianos, or saxophones.
- Gypsy jazz will have everyone feeling like they're in Paris of the 1930's.
- Gypsy jazz is Fred Astaire unloosening his tie and having a stiff drink.
etc.

Sorry to ressurrect an old thread. These are really good, Ando. Do you mind if I use them in our promo materials?

pinkgary

I'm glad you resurrected this old thread, i'd not read it before, & it is good. I only tend to look at new posts, these days..

Tele295

Ando wrote:

- Gypsy jazzers don't use drums, synthesizers, pianos, or saxophones.

"Anouman"?

blindjimmy

Hello, i've been using a description i read on this or the U.K. forum :
Jazz like in the old gangster movies , on guitars, with flamenco sounding embellishments. Then i show a picture of Angelo. I noticed real quick that most normal people outside this community dont have a clue what gypsy music sounds like , and anything with that dominant seven flat ninth resolveing to a minor one chord sound gets described as either flamenco or middle eastern, so instead of wasteing time trying to explain the differences, i just use their words back at them, and let them listen for themselves. After i play them a cd, they tell me that description was very accurate.

Adelaarvaren

I describe us as "Acoustic Swing". And frankly, I love it when people Lindy Hop to our stuff...

I agree with the previous posters that "Swing" is a better description than "Jazz" for most people - but only because so many people associate Jazz with cerebral Be-bop (if they have some knowledge) or with smooth jazz (if they have less).

And, we shan't forget, "It don't mean a thing..."

Tele295

I just used this description to land a Valentines Day cocktail/dinner gig. Any critiques?

"The Jill Martini Soiree is a duo (sometimes a trio) specializing in acoustic-based cocktail and gypsy swing and gypsy jazz. Gypsy jazz is an acoustic guitar-based, passionate style of music that came out of Paris in the 1930's. The Soiree repertoire includes vocal and instrumental standards, swings, tangos, waltzes, bossa novas and romantic ballads - ideal for wine tastings, dinner, and dancing."