DjangoBooks.com
Welcome to our Community!
Categories
- 18.1K All Categories
- 440 General
- 281 Welcome
- 11 Archtop Eddy's Corner
- 82 CD, DVD, and Concert Reviews
- 38 FAQ
- 9 Gypsy Jazz Italia
- 19 Photos
- 25 Gypsy Picking
- 4 Unaccompanied Django
- 4 Pearl Django Play-Along Vol.1
- 1 Gypsy Fire
- 25 Gypsy Rhythm
- 603 Gypsy Jazz University - Get Educated
- 117 Gypsy Jazz 101
- 190 Repertoire
- 143 History
- 96 Technique
- 40 Licks and Patterns
- Daniel Givone Manouche Guitare Method Users Group
- 17 Eddie Lang Club
- 1.1K Gypsy Jazz Gear
- 692 Guitars, Strings, Picks, Amps, Pickups and Other Accessories
- 344 Classifieds
- 39 Recording
- 39 Other Instruments
- 17 Violin
- 3 Mandolin
- 6 Accordion
- 3 Bass
- 10 Woodwinds
- 223 Gypsy Jazz Events
- 87 North America
- 87 Europe
- 49 International
In this Discussion
Who's Online 0
Today's Birthdays
July Song Of The Month: Douce Ambiance
This months song is extremely popular but I never get tired of playing it. In fact, if I had to make a list of top 5 favorite GJ songs to play (topic for another thread here?), this tune would surely be on it. I love everything about it: the driving intro and outro, the endless possibilities of great minor soloing over the A sections, the hip B section, the super cool walkdown at the end of the b section, it's got it all.
It was written by Django & Stephane, and interestingly, Django only recorded it twice (Feb of '43 and Nov of '47). Both versions feature the clarinet. Here's a link to the first recorded version:
Depending on who you ask, translated into English, it roughly means "sweet mood". Other notable versions include those by Angelo Debarre, The Rosenberg Trio and Stephane Wrembel Trio. But for a real treat, check out Joe Pass' version of it, especially the live one. Pass was a huge Django fan, which makes his handling of it quite a tribute from one of the all time greats of the jazz guitar. I'll post the chart that my band uses (as well as a link to Joe Pass' version) later.
Comments
I don't think Stephane wrote it. He would have been in England at the time and it's likely he would have had a violin on the 43 recording.
Just a guess.
I remember this discussion about various chord inversions/subs from a few years back on this tune. Thought others that missed it the first time around might find it interesting.
As long as everyone playing agrees on that chord in the 15th measure -- whether it's Ab7, A7, or even Am7b5 (a friend of mine plays that). Of course, the melody note has to coincide with the chord!
One of my all time favourite pieces in the history of arranged noise and that '43 recording especially has an extra place in my heart.
Learning the Brady Winterstein solo from the DC music school course at the moment, also very tasteful.
We tried Douce Ambiance as a waltz on Sunday at our little jam session. It works quite well! Try it
What a great tune. In my band, where we liked to mangle all the French titles for fun, we called it "Douche Ambulance".
At DIJ once, Holovaty called it in a jam with "it's time to drop the deuce" and had everyone laughing their asses off
I like to play big chords on the intro, making sure to keep that D melody note on top there. Try these out
One of my favourite versions is on Ferre Brothers "Pour Django " album
LoL! We also have fun mangling names of tuned, eg Mahna de Carnival becomes Man eating carnivore!🙃
Good thread, I appreciate all of the comments & participation. Here's a link to Joe Pass' version:
https://youtu.be/lkVzXl3McvI
Nice chords! I also like big chords for the intro and I too play a G# in the bass for the last chord, although I play a D7/G#. That chord somehow has a very djangoesque timbre to my ears although of course he never played it like that. I play it with thumb over like that: [45453x]
A short snippet from our rehearsal yesterday for how it sounds like in context: