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Chris, I didn't really read it as you criticizing anyone. Obviously there are people playing this music like what you describe. It would be silly not to recognize that. Although, even among those I'd separate them in two different categories. Those who learn and play Django solos note by note as a tribute to Django and present it as such which I like a lot. And there are those who...well you described them better than I can. The thing is, you see a lot of them, I think it's just a few. More importantly they're not the global face of the genre. They're totally unimportant, anonymous. They might impress someone at the jam or a local concert but they'll never be mentioned in any written piece or on a TV or a radio. Well, very few do get mentioned period. But the thing for me is, these people aren't what represents the music we love. The names you already listed are the ones who do.
@SwedeinLA yeah but you also have jazz big bands which play jazz standards much the same a classical orchestra would. Although, I suppose to your point, these musicians can do both; play the score as written and improvise.
Why do you find it strange? Many people do not aspire to be great improvisers. And I didn't say I don't improvise. It's just starting late in life with limited natural talent I don't delude myself into thinking I will ever get good at it.
But back to studying Django, is it wrong for people to be interested in transcribing and trying to learn exactly what Django did just for the fun and love of that? And I'm not saying to then regurgitate it in a jam session although that would also be impressive and fun. But of course if you could do that you would probably also be able to improvise pretty well if you studied improvisation at the same time. We know that great players like Bireli and Stochelo studied Django's recordings. Of course jazz is about improvisation but let's be honest, how many truly original improvisers really exist? I don't really have any time to sit for hours and transcribe any more but I'm glad I did it and I enjoyed it a lot. It's just another aspect to the whole process.
I seem to remember that, early on, Stephane Grappelli worked out solos and played them about the same each time. Sort of a middle ground between copying and improvising -- more like composing. But it obviously helped him learn to improvise!
Actually, being mostly a rhythm player who dabbles in solos on slow to med tempos I usually don't comment on threads like this. It's just that knowing I was never going to get to a level in this genre to be a good soloist I still got a lot of satisfaction transcribing so that is the only reason I commented.
I'll shut up now like I should have in the beginning and leave it up to the actual soloists to sort this out.
Just a heads up. I didn't mean to disrespect or in any way say I'm right and someone else is wrong. I just stated my background in jazz. Everyone copies players. That's as old of a tradition in jazz as anything. Most people "improvise" using that term loosely, combining a mix of pre practiced licks, and the knowledge of theory, letting them know what they can do at a moments notice. Very few people, although there's a few seem to have an endless amount of fresh ideas. In any case. I apologize if I came across harsh. It's just 🎶🎵. I'm going to delete my prior post.
Yes you said what I was trying to say but more eloquently.
@SwedeinLA I don't think anyone was offended, we're just shooting 💩
Agreed, no need to apologise or delete.