 |
Whether you are attending Django Camp or just dropping in for the weekend you'll want to get in on the jamming. If you are already an experienced player in the style, you're sure to fit right in. If this music is new to you, rest assured that you will not be the only newbie trying to make a flat-top sound like a Selmer. You won't find a better place to get your pieds wet and start to build a foundation in the style. For starters, here's a zip file containing lead sheets (in pdf format) to 11 standard Gypsy jazz tunes in standard notation and guitar TAB. They are:
Dark Eyes, Minor Swing, Django's Castle, Bossa Dorado, Minor Blues, Swing 42, Swing Gitan, Swing 39, Douce Ambiance, Djangology, Daphne
I suggest you track down recordings of the tunes…working strictly from the lead sheets won't get you very far. There are also a bunch of American jazz standards that are played in this style. You can't go wrong with these, for example:
All of Me, Limehouse Blues, Lady Be Good, It Don't Mean a Thing, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Sweet Georgia Brown
The tunes listed above are among those that you'll encounter most often at GJ jams, so they are a great place to start. For those of you who already know them, however, here's a second-tier selection of just a few tunes in hopes that it will allow us to stray at least a step or two from the most-trodden path.
For play-along rhythm tracks and chord charts—in the 'Grilles' format typical of this style—to these and many other tunes you might want to check out these sites:
- the Nuages de Swing website. Don't be intimidated if you don't speak French...just scroll down the list of tunes and download the tunes in whatever format you prefer, or click on the word grille for a chord chart.
- You can find more of these grilles at another French website, Manoucheries.
- Our friend (and monster player) Stephane Wrembel has great play-along rhythm tracks on his website, too. Here's a link.
If you haven't played Gypsy style rhythm guitar before, one quick way to get some expert assistance is to go to Djangobooks and download one of Michael Horowitz's online lessons. (The lessons on La Pompe and Chord Voicings are where you want to start for rhythm playing.) He also has all the best GJ instructional books that have been published to date. In fact, he's written some of them!
Thanks to our Sponsors! (Give 'em a click and a visit)
 |
 |
|
Joseph Santry, O.D. |
 |
 |
 |
 |