Interesting Tcha Limberger interview

djazzy · April 8

Picks and tuners, sure. But what of the bombshell dropped by Jimmy @21:48-22:10? The name is "Poulette Castro" or "Jean Poulette Castro" - and I've heard the reference before. Yet the actual evidence seems pretty thin that this person taught or even had contact with Django. Anybody know anything? Any mention of it in the historical record? The Dregni book?

There is at least this on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTnMiAMd9Uw

Buco · April 8

@wim Yeah I always have to split the difference. Actually when I use the electronic tuner, afterwards I always tweak G and B. I use a few tricks, A octaves on D and B strings, D octave on G and high E, then octave/5th on each pair. Just the other day I found a neat unison tuning way:

D on the 10th fret, 6th string, and open D. G on the 10th fret, 5th string, and open G etc... 9th fret of D and G strings for B and high E . It seems like a better way than the standard unison method.

Yeah, I used to stick the tuner to the back of the guitar after removing the clips. Not even sure why I stopped. Probably that started bugging me too 🤷

@flaco when people constantly go on the stage; whaaa whehhh....I'm thinking c'mon man, just take a break and tune the damn thing...

BillDaCostaWilliams · April 8

Of Poulette Castro (“Le Grand Gitan”): Stephane Wrembel said

“Django’s technique is close to the technique used for the oud and lots of traditional instruments. It is very powerful. Django didn’t invent it; he was initiated by a great gypsy player of his time named Jean Poulette Castro, who taught him the right-hand technique. "

djazzy · April 8

thanks, @BillDaCostaWilliams. Is there a source for this quote?

scot · April 8

I can't give you a reference for this quote but the connection between Django, Baro and Poulette Castro is referenced in many books and articles by Alain Antoinetto and others. There isn't a bit of doubt about it. There are other recordings by Freres Castro as well, the best known are with Argentine singer Rosita Barrios. The connection might be real, but honestly, probably not even the most discerning ear could make a random connection between Django and Poulette. If you know about it, you can hear some similar RH technique but thats about it. And that RH technique wasn't anything new.

Poulette was also the guitar player in the pit orchestra at the Theatre Chatelet and could read music.

If you want more more references, I'll dig them up.

castros and rosita1.jpg

scot · April 8

I might add that they sound a lot like Dave Apollon and his Filipino Boyfriends!

JasonS · April 8

I play the oud and the right hand technique really is virtually identical in a lot of respects. However, I've always thought the technique we use in Gypsy Jazz was probably adapted from the Koboz which is, primarily, a Hungarian instrument as far as I understand it. I would presume the koboz would have been far more common among Roma/Sinti musicians in the late 1800's than the oud.

Obviously the koboz shares a LOT of similarities with the oud, even the pick is very similar to the risha/mizrab used on the oud. You'll find there are a ton of instruments from the Near East region that share the same design principles and playing techniques though. The saz and buzuq are fairly similar too.

Unfortunately there isn't a ton of koboz playing on YouTube but this video illustrates the strumming technique pretty well, look familiar? 😊

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIHave0jqvs