i just recently knew about this gypsy jazz genre...just want to share

Yes! Gypsy jazz is one of the branches of jazz which put the harmonic vocab to the max. One of the greatest jazz standards are no doubt Játtendrai - Django Reindhart.

One interesting fact about Gypsy Jazz is that it is one of the genre that brings out another branch of genre in jazz, namely bossa nova.

Henri Salvador (French artist) through his song "dans mon ile - probably the first bossa the world has heard" influenced joao gilberto in his playing and by fusing the brazillian samba beat and thus Bossa Nova. The bossa nova was shortlived and lasted for like 6 years and was brought back to the mainstream, thanks to few bossa nova songs which has been considered standards in the canon of jazz standards repertoire such as 'girl from ipanema' and 'desafinado' and was made popular to the world by outstanding artist such as Ella Fitzgerald through the song 'Affirmation' and 'The girl from ipanema'


And what does Gypsy jazz got to do with this? The explanation is that Henri Salvador's guitar style was developed when he was young, trying to imitate the style of Django Reindhart's rhythm playing.

Both of this sub-genre has similar melodic structure and chording but different beats. Namely, if you syncopate further the rhythm structure of Gypsy Jazz styles, you will have an almost similar structure of Bossa.(And by adding more maj & min 9th chords of course )


Just my 2 cents

i play mainly gypsy jazz on violin besides classical.

stephane grappelli is my idol!

Yup one of the greatest violinist. Trying to imitate his scalar through my guitar, almost impossible haha

Thank goodness there is a violinist who plays a genre besides classical. Violins are rare in jazz as most of it are classical trained to follow strict/arranged beats and rhythm structures of classical. Due to the lack of synchopation and improvisation being adopted in this instrument, this instrument has been disregarded as traditional jazz instrument. Just my 2 cents, correct me if im wrong.

Stephane grappelli are one of those who adopted the chromatic transposition of gypsy music and incorporate the sychopation of jazz. Nowaday you can see many unorthodox instruments such as the harmonica used in jazz thanks to the invention of the chromatic harmonica. Also the classical music are slowly progressing to adopt improvisations in their playing.

Would like to see more unorthodox instruments in jazz. Such as an Erhu being played in Bossa Nova.

Do you play Folk jazz as well? :- Celtic Jazz Folk crossover

This post has been edited by ExtremeBinary: Feb 28 2010, 10:41 AM

sounds like Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsies...

i don't quite care about why and how it was adopted or invented. somebody plays it, i love it, so i also play.


nope, but i'll play it a little more celtic feel rather than so heavy gypsy like.

i'll just play, regardless, but most of the time when it comes to improvisation you'll always hear my own style and lines, though, which is more towards gypsy.

felt like reading text book..

haha sorry for the long story. Quite excited to actually tell you guys the wonders of jazz and its sub-genres.

Arranged music are great but improvisations are phenomenal . I once ask a jazz musician, what scale or root do you start with on the phrase towards the ending of the song, and he told me he has forgotten as he improvised.
Its like you are in a total trance state and totally forgotten what you have played.

the more you analyze what you play, the more difficult to play.

it's all about the melody inside the head, and play it out...

little ice has a point. No need to analyse. Just play according to what you feel. Wrong notes may come out...but dont let that stop you from playing.

yay, gimme more names plz, i only know django and stephane grappelli

Besides them, you an try googling Jimmy Rosenberg and Stochelo Rosenberg. You can even find them in you tube and you'll b astonished by the way they play. They are later generation of gypsy jazz guitarist which emphasize a lot on timing.

wow I felt a strong connection towards this kind thing... I never really know what Im playing or what I do when I wrote my songs...

You have the improvisation talent.

Very old thread, but if there is gypsy jazz amateur or player out there i think we should share some info on concerts or activities around this genre. I know some group of people who play live actively in bangsar and changkat area.

For musicians they also give guitar classes from time to time, last timebi joinded only two students wih 3 teachers haha. Would be fun if can jam in group anyone interested?