Interesting thread. I just recently read Michael Dregni's book "Gypsy Jazz: In Search of Django Reinhardt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing" which is full of interesting info about the origins of gypsy jazz and its development to the present day. He's also written a biography of Django. I found it a really interesting read which put the music into the context of the environment and musicians who created (and still create) it- not least the involvement of gypsy musicians in the music scene of Paris at the time.

Is it "folk"? We're back to the "what is folk?" chestnut... There are plenty of cultural influences going on in the music, some more "traditional" than others. You could certainly call say it has developed as a musical tradition in itself. The instrumentation based around guitar and fiddle crosses neatly into a folk format- some of the tunes work in other styles and contexts. But then, you could say the same about lots of other styles of music without needing to classify them as folk.

I'd say it's far more jazz than it is folk- for starters the bulk of the repertoire comes from jazz and the emphasis on improvisation is essential. Of course there are, as mentioned before, plenty of people who wouldn't consider it proper jazz.... Going back to the original post- a bluegrass band doing a Django tune- why not? Does that make it bluegrass? And for that matter, does a bluegrass band playing at a folk festival make bluegrass "folk"? I wonder what jazz and bluegrass forums would have to say.

Actually I think there's an interesting parallel to be drawn between gypsy jazz and bluegrass - both styles emerged in the mid 20th century, essentially as popular music, drawing on lots of localised influences as well as jazz, (though the main influences of bluegrass are more clearly traditional). Distinctive instrumental lineup, a core "standard" repertoire, with original compositions within the genre being adopted as standards, and above all an element of improvisation.

Sure, in any case, there are elements of overlap or common interest with folk- I don't personally consider it to *be* folk music, even though I'd consider folk a pretty broad church. Does it matter? It doesn't make it any more or less enjoyable or worthy of interest.