The "other" solo pieces

gitpicker

Hi Michael, I noticed in the book you mention that Tea for Two, Improvisation #4 and Belleville are omitted.

Tea For Two: I was unaware of a solo performance of this tune. Which recording has it?

Improv #4: Any plans to include this in a future edition of the book?

Belleville: I see the other thread, problems with liscensing. Darn!

It's not as if the book isn't complete as it is. I was just wondering about these others. Thanks for your years of hard work in producing such a fantastic resource for us all! 1,000,0000,000,000,000,000 Thanks!!!!
Doug

MichaelHorowitz

Hi Doug,

Tea for Two is here:

Christmas Swing"
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Integrale
Django Reinhardt Vol.7 (1937-1938)

Christmas
Swing

Maybe someday I'll add those few extra pieces to a future edition of the book. But quite frankly, I wrote that book as a labor of love. It's not a really huge seller, and I'll never make enough to warrant the time put into it. So adding to the book is not really a first priority...but I would like to someday!

scot

There is a pretty good transcription the first chorus of "Tea for Two" by Joe Carr in the March/April 2002 issue of Flatpicking Guitar magazine, along with many more transcriptions and solos of Django tunes. The solo of Tea For Two is not much like the other solo pieces and this transcription gives another look at Django's thinking and how could play beautifully through a set of changes, and how economically he managed to achieve the things he did. A great solo! On top of all that, the first chorus isn't difficult to play - unfortunately the choruses get harder as the piece moves along.

This issue of Flatpicking Guitar magazine is positively worth having because the articles, transcriptions and solos are from a much different perspective than what we are used to around here - the flat-pickers perspective instead of the hard-core djangophiles, and that's a good thing.

The 1986 live solo version of "Tea For Two" by Matelot Ferret is also an original and astonishing piece of guitar playing, especially so as it's a totally in the style yet owes nothing at all to Django.

Best
Scot

gitpicker

Many thanks guys! I'll look into those resources right away!
Doug

MichaelHorowitz

Hi Scot....Doug is talking about the unaccompanied solo version of Tea for Two. Not the one Django recorded with the whole quintet, which is what I think you're referring to.

scot

No, the one in this magazine is the first chorus of the solo "Tea For Two" recorded 27 December 1937. I listened while reading the chart and it's a reasonably accurate transcription of this solo, not bad at all. It does not contain the turnaround - instead it has the arpeggios of the last ending and there are no fingerings given. You could learn the tune from this chart, no problem.

Best
Scot

czecko

Michael Horowitz wrote:

Maybe someday I'll add those few extra pieces to a future edition of the book. But quite frankly, I wrote that book as a labor of love. It's not a really huge seller, and I'll never make enough to warrant the time put into it. So adding to the book is not really a first priority...but I would like to someday!

Really? It's not a big-seller?
I love this book.
And I learned alot from it.
And the new Gypsy Rhythm book is awesome!

MichaelHorowitz

Really? It's not a big-seller?

Well. any book about Gypsy jazz will never be a big seller . There's just too few of us. But consdier that the Unaccompanied Django book is an even smaller market. Only people that are

1) Gypsy Jazz guitarists

and

2) want to learn these fairly obscure solo pieces

will buy the book.

So it's a niche of a niche. But it sure was fun writing it!

I love this book.
And I learned alot from it.
And the new Gypsy Rhythm book is awesome!

Thanks...nice to hear that. That's why I write the books!

Craig Bumgarner

Tim Robinson (aka Thrip) posted his transcription and mp3 of Improv #4 on the Django Swingpage UK site a while back. I've only worked about half way through it, but looks like a very good transcription to me.

http://www.hotclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2897

Scroll down to the bottom of the thread for the link to the transcription.

Craig

Digger

He (Thrip) has also done this lovely rendition of "Echoes of Spain"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCRzf9jR8uI

gitpicker

Thanks gentlemen! This forum is the best!