Gypsy Jazz Fakebook Project

vv_trans_library · February 14

Hi everyone,

My name is Valentin, from the YouTube channel Transcriptions Library. I’ve started a project that’s very close to my heart: creating a new Django Fakebook. I think many of you are familiar with the famous “fakebook_django_2008.pdf”. The idea here is to offer a new version, trimming away some rarely played tunes and adding others that are truly essential.

There will be a treble clef version, like the 2008 one, but also a tablature version, since I’ve noticed that most gypsy jazz guitarists are not strong sight-readers 😄. I’ll also include a list of chord charts on iReal Pro.

It’s a big project, especially because the goal is to write the themes in the simplest and most direct way possible: getting to the core of each melody, without unnecessary embellishments, and using the right chords—again, without useless ornamentation. Everything is thought out from a gypsy jazz musician’s point of view, because we often approach standards differently from traditional jazz players, whether in the chords, the melody, or the arrangement.

I wanted to talk about it here to get your feedback on the project. If you have tunes you’d like to see included in this fakebook, don’t hesitate to let me know. I’m writing everything down and will sort it out later. I’m planning to release a first version with 150 to 200 tunes, then continue to expand and refine it over time.

To follow the progress of the project and support me, you can check it out here:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/gypsy-jazz-work-149454483?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

That’s it—have a great day everyone!

BillDaCostaWilliams · February 14

Exciting news Valentin.

billyshakes · February 14

Good luck, Valentin.

Martin G from Guitare Improvisation announced a similar project a few years ago. You might work with him to split the load. Maybe cross-YT channel cooperation?

https://djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/18444/new-irealpro-django-fakebook-coming-soon-fully-transcribed

vv_trans_library · February 15

Hi,

Thanks for the information. I’ll get in touch with him and discuss it. As far as I know, he only put together a list of chord charts

vv_trans_library · February 15

I’ve just contacted him, and he doesn’t intend to take on such a project. However, I’m staying in touch with him for a possible review.

Thank you!

lucky · February 15

Good luck with the project. There have been a few attempts to update the Facebook over the years - this is a good one, I like the historical notes to each song:

https://www.scribd.com/document/568363076/Djypsy-Djazz-Djam-Book

Django in June also do a very good core rep with tablature.

And yet the Django Fakebook, for all its faults, its odd tunes, key choices and chords - persists. One reason, I think, is because it is used a lot by other instrumentalists like violinists and bassists who are not invested so much in the detail of the genre because they play in a lot of different jams in different styles. So maybe one way to try and dislodge the Fakebook would be to offer a version for Bb instruments to appeal to the clarinet and sax players?

billyshakes · February 15

I know that @PapsPier worked a lot on getting songs/grilles and transcriptions in Bb for clarinets on his site. It is in French, but these days that shouldn't be much of a barrier. Google often senses the language and offers to change to your default. Here's his original thread with the link to his website. (https://djangonewquintettclarinet.wordpress.com/)

https://djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/15544/new-django-and-clarinet-transcriptions

wim · February 15

Does anyone have a .pdf of the Djypsy Djazz Djam Book which @lucky linked here to share? scribd paywalls you if you try to download that.

lucky · February 15

Yes it’s on djangobooks I couldn’t get the link to work - you should be able to google it. EDIT - managed to figure it out this time!

https://djangobooks.com/forum/uploads/947/HOSNM0KUVKYZ.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoqs5PwplokIMAyFNJHwY7tOPLxMIM8j8v31B2697WuZH8O92TLY

paulmcevoy75 · February 15

Wow that looks great! Why isn't everyone using that instead?

vv_trans_library · February 16

Thanks for all these leads, I’ll use them as inspiration for the fakebook I’m developing.

Regarding the “Djypsy Djazz Djam Book”, I feel that there are sometimes too many notes and arrangements, which end up cluttering the score and don’t really help to grasp the essence of the tune—especially if you want to play it quickly in a jam session or simply start discovering it. I do appreciate having the lyrics included, but I also feel that they can sometimes overload the page visually.

To answer the questions: yes, I might later do a Bb version, and possibly also add an appendix with the lyrics.