How to Play Like Django

Subject: How to Play Like Django
From: M.Ted
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 11:06 AM

I've been meaning to post this link for a while, and a question came up on another thread, so I figured that it was time-- Playing Django Style . It really is great(a word I don't use much) because it provides tab/notation, chord diagrams(as you may know, Django chords are different) info on developing technique, and most important, sound samples of each of piece of tab and chord notation). Especially valuable: it explains how to playing and use a number of his characteristic tricks--which really make the difference between sounding like Django and sounding like some random swing player--

Nice thing is that it is very much oriented to the "you can do this too" view, rather than the "Only the best players dare" view--

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: Bobjack
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 11:16 AM

By gum! It is a great site. Cheque is in the post ted.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 11:22 AM

Do you have to cut a finger off ?

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: GUEST,KB
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 12:27 PM

Already done that Dave - it didn't work....

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: M.Ted
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 06:56 PM

No need to remove any fingers--just slide them to an out-of -the-way place for handy storage--use them before and after playing to hold appetizers or cocktails.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: breezy
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 07:04 PM

we've got Chris Flegg up here in St Albans,he plays jazz, blues and folk, used to be a resident at the Troub in the 60-70s, he does django numbers, he is a more sober version of Diz Dizley!!!
we are very lucky to have him as a resident at the St Albans Folk-song club on Fridays at the Duke of Marlboro where this week we have Paley and Hunter.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: GUEST,M'Grath of Altcar
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 05:05 PM

Wow! Many thanks M. Ted. Your right it's a great site! May I mention here the amazing Gary Potter - Djangologist extraordinaire!

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: Dave of Mawkin
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 05:21 PM

That site is swinging!

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: C-flat
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 05:24 PM

Thanks M Ted, I was just considering how best to turn down a request to give some gypsy-jazz lessons when I saw this.
I play a little in the Django style but haven't a clue where to start with teaching and so, for now, I'll direct the enquirer (who happens to be a keen flamenco player like yourself) to this site.
I believe that flamenco playing is a good direction in which to approach gypsy-jazz, so much power and expression in both styles, so it doesn't suprise me that you're a Django fan too.
C-flat.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: M.Ted
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 08:22 PM

Ah, er, I am not actually flamenco player, though flamemco is one of the kinds of music that I listen to and lift from--I have played Russian gypsy music and some Hungarian and Romanian stuff, which is where I fine-tuned my tremelo--Also, so that no one gets the wrong impression, I am not really performance grade gypsy-jazz player--

My guitar teacher was a cohort of Barney Kessel(who is a Django fan) and though there is a high correspondence between my repertoire and the Django repertoire and though I do use fuller versions of the Django chords for rhythm, and can play three finger scales, I usually play in the "random jazz" style--

As regards to teaching, though I haven't taught gypsy-jazz, I think the place to start is by learning how to play a group of six to ten circle of fifth jazz standards using the Django type chords, then moving on to learning to play the melodies from scale positions--after that is down pat, you could move on to using the tricks andpolishing up the style--

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: C-flat
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 02:51 AM

Sorry M Ted, I've just realised my mistake. I'm thinking of another Mudcat "Ted" who is a keen flamenco player; "El Ted"!
I think I would describe my own style as "random" as I also "lift" from lots of different playing styles. "Master of none" springs to mind!
I was approached after a gig by this flamenco player, who had heard that I also played in a gypsy-jazz trio, and was bombarded with technical questions about Djangos' style. My best advice at the time was to lock himself away with a good collection of "Hot-Club" recordings and try to absorb the emotion in Djangos' style. To simply break it all down to scales and appegios might have you playing the right notes in the right order but it's not going to set anyone alight.
C-flat.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: The DeanMeister
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 03:19 AM

That's fab, Ted. Can't wait to test some of that out. Thanks a lot.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 06:04 AM

If you like Django, then in addition to the Hotclub UK site, you might like to look at these:

Django Montreal
Guitare jazz manouche (English despite its name)

and if you don't mind French sites, these are both good:

Gadjo drom, jazz manouche
About Django

(The last one might be bilingual - it has english on the enter screen, but I've only looked at it in French).

Several of these have introductions to the Django style with exercises and audio examples. (They also have lots of information, videos, discography etc)

Mick

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: Frankham
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 09:23 AM

One thing that should be mentioned I think is that Django before
anything else was a jazz guitar player. His lines were the epitome
of good jazz, swinging, sometimes sparse, sometimes technical but all
made jazz sense.

The problem with studying the Manouche style of playing is that a
student can get away from the jazz concept and more toward an
amorphous "gypsy" style of playing that features pyrotechnics and
licks as opposed to improvisational mastery. For this reasons, I
think a good gypsy jazz player ought to be steeped in the language
of jazz, a foundation of harmony, a working knowledge of all kinds
of jazz playing and not just as Oscar Aleman put it "Gypsy tricks"
although when Django used them, they were wonderful. That's because
he was first and foremost a jazz musician to such a degree that
even though Louis Armstrong passed on him, Coleman Hawkins sought
him out and recorded with him. Django was imortalized in a elegy
by John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet by a lovely little tune
called "Django". Every jazz guitarist of note coming down the proverbial "pike" has recognized Django as a jazz influence. Django, in turn recognized Eddie Lang as his inspiration. The early recordings of Venuti and Lang inevitably gave rise to the Qunitet of Hot Club of France. It's significant that Django's first instrument
was a six-string banjo. Django also loved Louis but it was regrettably not reciprocated.
Wanna' be a good Gypsy jazz player? Study jazz.

Frank

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: el ted
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 10:45 AM

Django Rheinhardt? too easy! Study some Vicente Amigo!

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: M.Ted
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 10:55 AM

Of course, leave it to Frank to get to the heart of the matter, which really is that Django was a jazz player who happened to bring a lot of Gypsy stuff into it--the "Gypsy" sound really is not what made his music important--

If you are serious about playing guitar, you really need to listen to Django, and it is a great help, both for listening and playing, to understand how he did what he did. However, if you are an SGP(serious guitar player), you are really not going to want to end up sounding like old Django records--Not that there would be anything wrong with it, but it's been done already--

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: The DeanMeister
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 11:47 AM

Incidentally, I also found the link to www.looknohands.com useful. The scales and chords shown on there are superb. I've now got serious homework to do. Not sure if I should thank you for that or not. I suspect Mrs Meister may be a little less than pleased!

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: Mark Clark
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 11:57 AM

Thanks, M.Ted, for starting another great thread. And thanks to everyone contributing to it. I've loved Django's music longer than I can remember (that span keeps growing shorter <g>) and, though I'll never be accomplished at any of this, I think poking at it around the edges helps the stuff I do play.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 01:16 PM

The problem with wanting to play like Django is that his style is virtuoso standard. It's like wanting to play like Paco De Lucia! Play flamenco? maybe, but like Paco? Not unless you are truly blessed musically and physically.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 04:29 AM

m.ted who taught you just ou of interest.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: M.Ted
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 01:19 PM

Took horn lessons as a kid, leaned some piano skills, and studied composition in college--on my own and from friends I learned folk, blues, then rock guitar--After I'd been playing for about ten years, I started taking lessons from an old school jazz guitarist who taught me all the practical stuff you needs to know to work club dates, plus working theory, and the standard jazz and bossa repertoire--

In retrospect, I spent ten years learning what I could have learned in one had   out started taking lessons. I had a lot of gaps, things that I misunderstood, and stuff that I was just plain wrong about. Worst of all, I had a sixties "counterculture" view that confused music with social/political ideology--that was the hardest thing to shake--

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: Frankham
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 04:05 PM

M.Ted, delighted that you are interested in studying Django style of
playing. It's very rewarding to hear accoustic guitar playing good
jazz. You have the background to bring to it some good stuff.

I think that Diz Disley is a good player. I bet Pat Donahue and Howard Alden could play Django style. Birelli LeGrene and other
young players are pushing the envelope a bit. Stochelo and Jimmy
are great technically. I worry that Gypsy becomes a little too copycat. I think it's important to listen to Oscar Aleman, the only musician Django would allow into his caravan home. They had a
friendly rivalry which prompted Aleman to poke at Django's "Gypsy tricks". I happen to love Django's Gypsy tricks though. Aleman was an amazing player and an accomplished instrumentalist on something
like twelve instruments. He has a recording put out by David Grissman's label. Aleman played a National style accoustic guitar
as well as a big Maccaferri with a D hole.

There is still only one Django as there was Bird or Louis. But the melding of the Gypsy style with jazz is a possibility if the genre
doesn't get too incestuous.

Django actually didn't care for the accompanying guitarists that he carried as well as he like the drums. He liked vocalists on his
recordings, as well. He wanted to reach out beyond the Gypsy confines
and play with great American jazz players. His stuff with Coleman
Hawkins is great. He was a drum all by himself. He saw himself
as a jazz guitarist who happened to be a Gypsy. This is probably why he alligned himself with Grapelli (not a Gypsy player at all.)
Django also played with Eddie South (a predigious non-Gypsy jazz violinist).

When you think of the counter-culture sociological aspects, jazz is at the forefront in my view of Progressive politics. There are a few Conservative types who play jazz such as Barney Kessel, Clint Eastwood and Stan Kenton. But most of the leaders were pretty
anti-establishment types and sympathetic to left causes.

Thanks for the great thread, M.Ted.

Frank

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: M.Ted
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 04:51 PM

"I bet...... Howard Alden could play Django style." Lot's of folks thought it was Django playing in "Sweet and Lowdown", though of course it was Howard Alden.

As per the "sixties" business--I was thinking less about jazz people and more about ideas like :

"The study of music is submission to an elitist authority that functions to supress true expression and instead channels creativity to support the decadent and bourgeois institutions of a fundamentally corrupt society" or more basic ideas like:

"Structure is bullshit--just express yourself"--

Acoustic guitar is a great instrument for jazz, because it has some natural percussive qualities that you can't find in an electric guitar--wish I had more time--

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 06:27 PM

Well this is a well timed and informed thread, I too am a happy reader.

DDD UDU UUU what a totaly illogical but beutiful sound!

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: GUEST,benbows protege at work
Date: 12 Mar 04 - 03:51 AM

An Excellent thread. A topic close to my heart and a style of music am trying hard to nail down. It is nice to see Frankhams comments about my old mush Dizley. He hardly ever drinks when he is out with us. He is also suffering from arthritis in his left hand.
Nice to see Oscar Aleman appearing in this thread aswell! One of my Favourite players is Eddie lang.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: Fleggy
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 03:34 PM

nice to hear Diz is well; a great player!
how to play like Django? you have to be Django.

Subject: RE: How to Play Like Django
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Mar 04 - 11:26 AM

No you just have to have restraint.