Gypsy Jazz, suggested listening, and playing advice

[JRcohan]

From the first time I heard Django Reindhardt I fell in love with his music. I find playing, "Gypsy Jazz," quite difficult. I do have two specific questions.

1. When and where in a song can the Harmonic Minor scale be utilized? I love it's feel, but I seldom use it, when I do it is over V7 chords, creating tension.

2. What are some tunes and/or progressions an intermediate player can get started jamming on?

I have tried playing along with my Dave Apollon recordings, but he is way too good.

Any other advice, or opinions are encouraged. Hot jazz is here to stay, and bebop just isn't my cup of tea.

Thanks, Keep pickin

[Ian Rossiter]

Actually, GJ is really more Arpeggio based,than scales.
As far as Tunes;Minor Swing,Djangology,Swing 42,Nuages,Tiger Rag,Tears,Daphne,lots and lots of repitoire'.

[Larry S Sherman]

What are some tunes and/or progressions an intermediate player can get started jamming on?

Lots of free play-along tracks here.

Larry

[Papa]

Great play along tracks.
Thanks

[neil argonaut]

Also, search youtube for "gypsy jazz play along" - there's loads on there and it's really handy because they've got the chord charts too.
As for the harmonic minor, can't help you, I'm just starting to try to learn Jazz manouche too.

[JRcohan]

My new practice regime. Play through ii-V-I, and iim7b5-V-Im with arpeggios of super-imposed chords, like the tritone. I think that will give my playing a shove in the gypsy jazz direction? Thanks for the great replies.

[Pete Martin]

The harmonic minor scale is often played over minor II V I as the II is IIm7b5, the V is often altered or at least V7b9 and the I is minor/major, as in Im6 or imMaj7.

You can easily play this in Gypsy jazz, although these items you are talking about are more often heard in newer eras of Jazz, especially Bebop and later. It all depends on how "authentic" to the era you want to play. Best of luck!

[Mandobart]

For begineers, this book is good. I've been working through it. I'll probably get the first one too.

[JRcohan]

Below is a link to a book I found that is very helpful...and challenging. This book has accurate guitar tab and notation for many of Django's best tunes. I have been using the CD to play along to and attempting to transcribe some of his signature licks onto mandolin. I am amazed by his playing still.

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Django-Re...einhardt+books

[DSDarr]

This site has great play-along videos for a large number of tunes. http://www.grilles-manouches.net/ind...lles-manouches. It is in French but it shouldn't matter much if you don't read French. Just click on the name of a tune....

-David

[JGregs]

Late to the party but I found any of the jazz fakebooks that come with backing tracks can be played in more of a gypsy style depending on the strum pattern and a couple different chord shapes

[Mandobart]

A couple other things I've picked up in the months since I posted last on this:

2008 Django Fakebook - Great free resource of tunes

Djangobooks.com - More guitar oriented, but the best english language source of info on this genre I've found.

[Jim Gallaher]

I've been working exclusively on Gypsy Jazz over the past 10 months and I'm loving it! Here's what I've found...

- In my guitar days (mostly rock with a brief jazz period), I focused on scales. Over the last 14 years of mandolin playing I found myself playing less "scale" and more "chord tone" improvisation. With the move to Gypsy Jazz, I'm always thinking "chord tone" and "minor third" intervals with "scale" connections. Of course, I'm thinking too much about using arpeggio forms in this early phase but it gets better as I develop.

- The GJ "pompe" hasn't been too much of a struggle to copy. I think mandolin players may be more inclined to "play like the drummer" anyway. I love that swing feel!

- The 2008 Django Fakebook has been invaluable. Since the melodies are in standard notation I had to bring my reading skills up to speed, but it has been worth it.

- Youtube is my daily companion. It has practice tracks with charts for just about every song I've studied. GJ players are "scarce on the ground" in my neck of the woods and I depend on Youtube for my accompaniment. I enjoy seeing how different players and groups interpret the standard GJ repertoire. I'm relieved to see that the standard keys lay pretty well on mandolin.

- Knowing the fingerboard and chord construction theory is essential to effective chord fingerings. Ditto knowing what notes to leave out. Don't fear the D6/9 -- revel in it!

- I had to stop listening to any other kind of music and get that GJ sound in my head. I got the JazzRadio app for my tablet and listen to the GJ channel every day. I just got Pandora for the same reason. My CD collection is growing again. I especially recommend "Clasico" with Gonzalo Bergara and Adrien Moignard. You can hear the two guitars equally well as they switch rhythm and lead. They have the "drive" that I appreciate about GJ.

- I visit the Djangobooks.com forum daily, just like the Cafe. Sure, it's mostly about guitars, but it's all about the music.

- GJ has a "social context", just like bluegrass. Acoustic instruments played at festival campgrounds -- just way fewer festivals! I won't truly be "home" until I make that hook-up on a regular basis.

[Pete Martin]

If you want great GJ backing tracks, Band in a Box with the GJ real tracks is terrific. Most of the backing tracks you are finding were made with this. Then enter any tune you wish.

[d18daddy]

I will second the Dix Bruce book. Really good stuff.

[dcb504]

I ordered the Dix Bruce book yesterday. Thanks for the link.

[crisscross]

I don't know, wether you're a tab-player or you read music.If the latter is the case, I can highly recommend you Martin Norgaard's "Getting into Gypsy Jazz Violin" http://www.melbay.com/Products/21288...zz-violin.aspx
It covers all aspects of gypsy jazz improvisation from simple inner melodies to advanced arpeggios and scales.
Example tunes where these concepts are applied are "Minor Swing", "Sheik of Araby" "After you're gone" and "Avalon"

[DSDarr]

I don't know, wether you're a tab-player or you read music.If the latter is the case, I can highly recommend you Martin Norgaard's "Getting into Gypsy Jazz Violin" http://www.melbay.com/Products/21288...zz-violin.aspx
It covers all aspects of gypsy jazz improvisation from simple inner melodies to advanced arpeggios and scales.
Example tunes where these concepts are applied are "Minor Swing", "Sheik of Araby" "After you're gone" and "Avalon"

This is a good one for sure. The CD that accompanies it is also good. I was a little hesitant because I thought it might be too violin-centric but there is really very little that doesn't work for mando too (occasional discussion of bowing but not really much). Good practice for people like me who are trying to improve improv skills and reading skills.

David

[Pete Martin]

For listening suggestions, any and all Django!!
(insert Mando/Beer smiley here)

[Jeff Hildreth]

Another suggestion for checking out

djangobooks.com

[crisscross]

Another great gypsy jazz mando player (though electric): Jason Anick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx9v1gpFIAE
By the way: "All of me" is a nice GJ standard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gLhJOELGkI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJVJCfXMxtw
As a starting point, you can simply embellish the melody, one of the concepts taught in Noorgard's book.

[John Soper]

In going to the source- hot swing acoustic music closely related to Django, but with Latin undercurrent: Oscar Alleman. He was a contemporary of Django's and was a staple member of Josephine Baker's band in Paris at the time the Hot Club was in full swing. The Acoustic Disc double CD is always high on my play list:

http://www.acousticdisc.com/acd_html/acd29.html

Some of his solos are great to transcribe to the mandolin...

[Petrus]

Here's some G-Jazz / Jazz Manouche stuff that I found pretty inspirational. They only lack a mandolin! Still dang impressive though.