German article

dennis

there was a feature article on me in the german magazine Akustik Gitarre... so here it is for the german speakers

the last paragraph is the best

zeitblom

Here's a pretty literal translation. Sounds funny in some parts, but I think I got it.

First Rhythm – Then Solo

Dennis Chang

The love for the guitar often has a very concrete launching point. Almost everyone can still remember the moment that fire was lit. In the case of Dennis Chang it was a Television appearance by the Texan Rock Guitarist Eric Johnson. “I totally flipped out, “ he remembers. “Although he never had a direct influence on my playing, this moment was significant. From then on I really practiced hard. “ Chang means that seriously – six to eight hours of daily practice until he turned 19. “I had a few excellent teachers like Pierre McNicoll, who taught me much about theory.” From his parents he experienced classical music of the highest value. Denis’ father owns a quite comprehensive record collection from German and Austrian masters up to contemporary and modern. Chang Jr. graduated with a major in Music Theory from McGill University in his hometown of Montreal. But it is ultimately the Gypsy Jazz Virtuoso Django Reinhardt who showed him the musical way. “I made friends with Gypsy Jazz musicians, moved for a while to France, Holland, and Germany,” Chang recalls. “I studied with Fapy Lafertin, who was one of the first who carried on the traditional Hot Club style after Django’s death.”
Chang founded his own first Django style band Manouche Swing, in which he certainly shone as soloist, but more importantly in which he grappled with [mastered/figured out?] rhythm playing. “I learned much from listening to old records and bootlegs and spent a huge amount of time analyzing the music.” This gave to his music [musical understanding?] a comprehensive complexity. Today Chang is as equally well-versed in rhythm and and soloing. Not for nothing is this newcomer a book and DVD author (Jazz-Manouche: The Art of Accompaniment) and an in-demand workshop leader, currently at Django in June Gypsy Festival in the American city of Northhampton (more at www.djangoinjune.com). “I put much value on Rhythm,” he says, “because I see often musicians who can solo brilliantly, but when they then have to take over the rhythm, it’s a disaster. I believe sincerely that one is only a good musician when they have mastered rhythm playing.”
The twenty-five year old has played with Ritary Gaguenetti, Aurélien Trigo, Lollo Meier, Frank Gambale and many others and they always compliment his playing. So its not surprising, that he now realeased his debut album “Fléche D’Or”, named after a Django Reinhardt song, of course. “His [Django’s] music was the perfect mixture of Classical and Jazz,” [Chang said] explaining his fascination [with Django’s music]. “You can find elements of Chopin, Bach, Debussy, all the way to Louis Armstrong and other Jazz masters of that time.” All these elements can now be found on “Fléche D’Or”, which presents a newcomer who one wants to lavish compliments on for style, talent, elegance, humor, expression, and virtuosity. He played an AJL guitar on “Fléche D’Or”. “AJL is a fantastic luthier, one of the few who listens to musicians and takes on the advice of musicians,” he said. “One of the tracks is played on a nylon string guitar that was laying around the studio. That later developed into a relationship with Godin guitars, who are currently building me an archtop, that I can hardly wait for.”
Until it arrives, he will indulge in his other passion besides music: eating. “There are few men who eat more than I do. In this discipline I am already a champion!”