Generation Django

Micky Dunne

Edouard Pennes has knocked it out of the park with his arrangements. Great stuff from all involved…obviously we’re gonna buy the physical when it’s out but for now….

https://open.spotify.com/album/0b2qFmjwPaaGhsrl7Hf1fM?si=e28xwKjGQ5GDYMW9BH4pFA

BillDaCostaWilliams

Download available here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FFblbVsG7Q

JSanta

I've been listening to this album a lot this week, it's absolutely fantastic. The version of Montagne Ste. Genevieve is probably one of my favorites I have ever heard.

Buco

Entire show from this year's Django in June is here

https://youtu.be/Bq3n5Jz9R38?si=Q7sBd3fJRfdhv2Ti

I took to classes with all guitarists. They all have such a good vibe, felt great just to be there. Hope he'll put out album in vinyl, I picked up the last record by Tchavolo from Edouard.

BillDaCostaWilliams

Buco, thanks for pointing us to this - a video to be treasured.

In the first tune both Romain and Giacomo throw in a few quotes (e.g. Laura) and there’s one line I know well from my youth listening to my grandfather’s old 78s (probably a popular song from the 40s) that Giacomo plays from 4.12 to 4.17 … but I can’t name it.

Suggestions welcome. 

BTW Buco, any pearls of wisdom you recall from those classes?

kapete

Dardanella

BillDaCostaWilliams

Of course!

(and it's actually from 1919)

Many thanks for extracting me from a senior moment.

Buco

Well let me see, not sure if they're pearls or wisdom but these are my takeaways from each;

Sebastien is a stickler for ear training. If you want to get an attaboy from him you better have a good ear to instantly, or nearly so, recognize degrees in a scale. He always demonstrates his ridiculously amazing ability to hear any phrase played to him (with his back turned away) and plays it back instantly with 100% accuracy, a 100% of the time. But he always stresses out how that is a learnable skill.

After being in the class with Fanou, I'm going to dedicate next year to practice soloing without backing tracks, just a guitar, with or without a metronome. He says "you can't expect to sound good with a band if you can't sound good playing in time without it".

Romain is big on this elasticity in rhythm playing. Keep it tight enough (this imagined stretched out piece of rubber) but not too tight so it won't break, but never allow it going limp at any moment. His rhythm drives so nice. I recorded a chunk and will spend some time trying to emulate it. He also demonstrated this really cool reharmonization trick. I was tired and barely kept my head up and my eyes open but this is what I think happened; he played some melody, in his swing chord melody style. Then he took the last note of the melody and did this experiment; let's say the melody as written is a third of the chord. He'd say let's imagine it's the major 6th, which chord would we have? Then he'd play his chord melody arrangement and finish the song with the correct melody but using this newly reharmonized chord. And he went through every degree of the scale like that. And you know what? There hasn't been many that didn't work. Very cool!

With Julien I learned it's ok to use alternate voicings and reharmonize the song to some degree using voice leading, as a rhythm player. The key is to stay in the pocket and have a good groove. And he's got pocket and groove in spades. He also stressed out that becoming a good musician isn't a matter of talent, it's a matter of attitude. Attitude meaning you decide that this is something you want to do and spend a lot of time working on it. He came as a rhythm specialist but he's a top notch soloist as well, just all around amazing musician.

Jangle_Jamie

becoming a good musician isn't a matter of talent, it's a matter of attitude. Attitude meaning you decide that this is something you want to do and spend a lot of time working on it.

This is a great quote Buco! You can apply it to anything. Unfortunately I'm a jack of all trades, master of none! I only have myself to blame.

Buco

I don't know if I'd agree with that when I look at your art.

Rip

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/115303#Comment_115303

I've made the most progress by just playing guitar without a metronome or backing track.