Is la pompe not cool any more?

Buco · March 2017

Is this a futile pursuit then, this small slice of Django's legacy?

Elí Saúl · March 2017

La pompe is forever hot

.

As long as one does not get obsessed to be a 24/7 pompe backing track claiming to be "faithful" to Django (who btw was always developing his style) there will always be the right time to pompe hehehe.

It is true that now days modern players have a more 'straight' less swinging kind of pompe but it's all about what the soloist wants and what diversity the Rythm player can provide.

It really depends where you look at, I remember someone posted a few weeks ago a video of Sebastien Gineux and some other fella who I regret not remembering his name that had magnificent way of accompanying Sebastien Gineux's style and Dynamics when improvising, the result turned to be 40+ minutes of very beautiful sounding music on an intimate setting.
And that's really awesome.

Another thing that might be a turn down if you're into hot swinging style is that most of the modern players take too long solos and no matter how awesome they are it can get boring. I'd say many trade musicality for fireworks and virtuoso like lines and that's only fun to certain extent.

Jazzaferri · March 2017

Mathieu Chatelain

bohemewarbler · March 2017

@scot writes, "Influential American guitarists from Jerry Garcia to Jerry Reed, from John Fahey to Willie Nelson, always looked to Django for inspiration." Here's a fab four Brit who looked to Django Reinhardt for inspiration.

Jazzaferri · March 2017

definitely not a futile pursuit @Buco A very necessary tool in one's toolbox

Teddy Dupont · March 2017

Buco wrote: »

Is this a futile pursuit then, this small slice of Django's legacy?

Nothing associated with Django can ever be futile.

Buco · March 2017

Except if Django knew about it he'd probably be proud inside but scoff at it and be vocal about it.
Oh well, I don't plan to give it up any time soon.

bohemewarbler · March 2017

If there is no continuous upstroke on beats 1 and 3, is it still considered "la pompe" (everything else--right-hand and left-hand technique--fully in place )? If not, should the rhythm played just be called "Gypsy" rhythm or "Manouche" rhythm? Any thoughts?

wim · March 2017

That's a good question. I would say yes. With a prominent upstroke thing it's the old school hot club style la pompe, but the modern sound is still literally "the pump", the reliable and consistent beat of the rhythm guitar. Note the hot club sound was changing as well, the chunky pompe in early J'attendrai is miles away from the later hot club stuff where the sound became cleaner/simpler. And later, Django abandoned la pompe completely, spending a good part of the later years comping with syncopated chord stabs like a pianist, so I guess he felt la pompe was démodé already in the 40's.

Some guys still like to play it like the traditional way today, but it doesn't work too well with 3+ guitars together. I guess that's why modern bands generally prefer a more streamlined la pompe.