Over the course of 2021-2022, Jack Soref will be preparing a second (10 song) volume of Gypsy Jazz Standards for Django in June. To make it easier for you to absorb the material, he’ll be releasing a tune a month starting November 2021. Each packet of material will include:
In addition to the lessons by Jack himself (on guitar) he’ll occasionally invite other friends of Django in June to offer bonus lessons on the same tune, some of which will be on other instruments. We encourage you not to get too hung up on what instrument the teacher is playing. Give the lesson a try and see if there’s something to take away that you find useful.
We’ll post the video lessons here as they come available and you’ll find links to all the support materials in the description below the video. You’ll also see a Donate button there. Use it to show Jack your appreciation for all his hard work. If you are donating for a bonus lesson by another teacher, Paypal offers a space for you to tell us that and we’ll pass it along to whomever you indicate.
If you are not already on our mailing list and you’d like to receive alerts as new tunes come online, just jot us a note at <[email protected]> with “Mailing List” in the subject line and we’ll keep you in the loop.
Enjoy!
Lead sheets in 3 formats:
Tears melodic fills in three formats:
And check out this bonus lesson from Dallas Vietty on accordion, still working with Tears:
Tips for Clean and Clear Playing
Tears_Improv_Etude_Dallas_Vietty
Also known as “Double Scotch”, a Django composition that has become a djam-standard.
Lead sheet in three formats:
Double Whiskey DiJ Standard and TAB
Double Whiskey DiJ Standard Bb
Bridge lesson in three formats:
Double Whiskey Bridge Lesson DiJ Standard and TAB
Double Whiskey Bridge Lesson DiJ Standard
Double Whiskey Bridge Lesson DiJ Standard Bb
‘Swing Gitan’, originally called ‘Stephane Stomp’ is by now one of the most-often played GJ standards, and one you won’t likely encounter outside the Django scene. First up is lesson from Jack Soref—on guitar, but potentially useful for anyone—in which he explores the melody and discusses how it can inspire new ideas in our improvisation on any tune. Then Dallas Vietty has prepared a supplementary lesson focused on chord voicings for accordionists – you’ll find that below the downloadable material that Jack prepared in three formats: Tab, standard notation (C) and standard (Bb). Swing on, ya’ll!
Lead sheet for Swing Gitan in three formats: standard notation and TAB, standard notation only (C) and Standard notation (Bb)
Swing-Gitan-Standard-and-TAB-DiJ
Solo ideas for Swing Gitan in three formats: standard notation and TAB, standard notation only (C) and Standard notation (Bb)
DiJ Solo Ideas Swing Gitan Standard and TAB
Solo Ideas Swing Gitan Standard DiJ
Solo Ideas Swing Gitan Standard Bb
Swing Gitan “Stomp Style” audio and in three written formats: standard notation and TAB, standard notation only (C) and Standard notation (Bb)
Swing-Gitan-Stephane-Stomp-style-Standard-and-TAB-DiJ
Swing-Gitan-Stephane-Stomp-style-Standard-DiJ
Swing-Gitan-Stephane-Stomp-style-Standard-Bb-DiJ
The tune this month is ‘Exactly Like You’. Jack Soref’s lesson is first, then violinist Jason Anick offers a supplementary lesson drawing on 8 bars of a Stephane Grappelli’s solo. Enjoy!
– Django and Stephane and the Quintet du Hot Club de France 1936 (our musical example covers the first A section) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXBO6…
– Late Period Stephane Grappelli (the two musical examples from this recording, are the first, and second A sections) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm5S8…
– Late Period Louis Armstrong (our musical example, is Louis’s 2nd A section from this recording) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRe0a…
– Louis Armstrong 1930 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3lmd…
– Sam Lanin’s Dance Orchestra 1930 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l4x3…
– Ruth Etting 1930 (seems to be incorrect date in linked video title) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HcvU…
-Harry Richman 1930 (If I understand correctly Harry Richman was the first performer to sing this live on Broadway.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CtHE…
DiJ Grappelli last 8 Exactly Like You standard and TAB
DiJ Grappelli last 8 Exactly Like You Standard
DiJ Grappelli last 8 Exactly Like You Standard Bb
Download free lead sheet and support materials (pdf) here: https://3a5e327e-05b9-4204-9068-bf6ef…
In this lesson we will explore how to bring the melody of this tune to life, by digging into three classic recordings:
Ethel Waters -1925 (warning: this recording is in C minor, but I have transposed it to the more common “jamming” key of D minor for our lesson) https://youtu.be/JZ3ctEozSuk?t=29
Frank “Big Boy” Goudie – 1935 (accompanied by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S00R…
Bireli Lagrene – Routes To Django – 1980 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLbir…