What I learned about jazz from Django Reinhardt

[@sergiojaenlara2091]

Thank you very much Denis!

[@diwlelomo]

This is so insightful, you're such a clever guy.

[@danh7739]

That's the best Gawd Damn version of 'Happy Birthday' I've ever heard.

[@fusion-music]

January 23rd, my special day, our wedding anniversary. Konnichi wa Denis. Loved the video. Very authentic. I love Django and Stephan on violin. Thanks for mentioning the guitar model. I understand why you don't like the term gypsy jazz, but some of the best players refer to it as that. Stephan grapelli kept the music alive with the assistance of Martin Taylor and John Etheridge. I'm learning flamenco and think of Django's style as a closely related art form. Basically, oppressed people in the Pakistani region left their home to escape and they made their way into Egypt and that's how they got their nickname. They made their way into Morocco and then into Andalusia, Southern Spain. They identified with other minorities, Jews etc and eventually the flamenco form was born. They were also oppressed there. Some continued to travel into other countries, all getting the same reception. In Spain you will hear them referred to as gitano's. Romani in other places. So, they were looked down on. But even the 'purist' flamenco musicians (how the form was up until Paco de Lucia) they look down on those who follow Paco de Lucia's progressive form, which has really become a jazz form. Many people tell me they don't like jazz, but what they really mean is that they don't like certain styles jazz. That is why I am happy that jazz has many forms/disciplines, but can easily be referred to by name. I don't like using terms in a derogatory manner. I would like to think a musician is interested in the music and not what the person looks like. Thanks for an interesting video.

[@paulgibby6932]

Really nice tribute and analysis. Especially liked how you demonstrated the language/music learning connection.

[@jayc9940]

This is the secret to 'getting good' at music. It's more than learning chords and solos. You got to 'feel' it. Every nuance and tone is integral to sounding good. BB King was praised in a guitar lesson video for playing a cool lick, he then replies "Don't ask me to do it again." Knowing what you're playing is good but you have to speak your 'musical tongue'.

[@moonbaguette383]

hello , you have grasped music , amazing man . i had learned on my own and had this approaach without evne knowing it , and the music would flow in my ears , then i tried to learn jazz and started learning scales and arpeggios and started to sound really bad and not making any sense, this has lasted more than 5 years . I met a teacher in Toulouse , he helped me get back on the path of listening , basically like you say t , a language . I'm still struggling , but listening to a lot of music and language is the way. Thanks for the vid

[@davidwalker5054]

You can learn to play the exact notes that Django plays but no matter how long you practice and get it perfect you will never get close to how otherworldy and ethereal Django does

[@80sMeavyHetal]

Denis, you are a youtube star too!

[@swingmitchellg]

Thank you so much Denis

[@mikesciacca]

Learning a little about how you approach languages and music, and especially how that approach informed your studies of Django is informative and inspiring. Thank you, Denis!

[@lucasarias8294]

i not only love the way you teach everything, but i just love the way you look at life and just enjoy it for what it is:) you a life example to everyone . and it would be beneficial for everyone that wants music flowing out of them to listen to everything you say. really denis thank you thank you thank you:)

[@ray-jf4sh]

Sincerely presented

[@beamaxwellc7177]

thanks Denis! Hope Japan is treating you well!

[@DiariosdeHyle]

Amazing, DENIS!

[@billharrity6121]

Outstanding insights- thanks so much!

[@bluegiraffe7858]

Amazing vid.

[@Del_Puerto_Musica]

Always love your vids man! Especially this long and detailed ones! Keep up the good work!

[@marcus2515]

Nice, I see that chromatic note/chord walkdown to D7 @ 22:50 - 22:57 &/- nice. I hear adding the Eb for D7b9 moving to G maj like you said, is what I here in Nuages. Good insight. Thanks

[@alisonCNboy]

lovely video my friend.

[@Kenji1685]

Would it be wrong to call it Euro-Jazz? I came here after seeing your video of My blue heaven with the cello. I love the sound! 👍 I'm learning cello and want to play it now. 👍

[@freakymalik]

I think it would be very flattering for us Europeans, and it is a great way of thinking about it...but at the same time you would be excluding many of the little nuances that make this style... It is European Jazz though deeply rooted in a nomadic culture, and it takes from old popular french music and contemporary classic as well..

[@erukant]

Great

[@KyOte13]

I just wanted to say thank you for making this video. I learned the guitar in shapes and patterns with memorization, and have very little theoretical knowledge. I can tell you notes off the E & A, but that’s about it. Everything else I know I taught myself. When I found out that Django and Prince were very much the same, it let me know that I haven’t completely wasted my time learning the wrong way. Now, I am back in Lessons and trying to understand the guitar in some kind of way. My question is what are the absolute fundamentals that the guitarist needs to have under his belt? Is it just fretboard knowledge? Knowing where your notes are? Is it The caged system, knowing your inversions? What do you think, Dennis?

[@DenisChangMusic]

I think that’s a fairly broad question but I’ve addressed it from different perspectives in many of my other videos. I guess you’ll have to watch them all haha. But if we are talking from the perspective of like jazz or Gypsy jazz, then I think the biggest priority is developing the minimum skills to be able to perform. So that means: learning repertoire, knowing the chords, knowing the melody if you are responsible for playing it (and even if you are not), and being able to improvise something somewhat coherent (which is another big topic). Learning repertoire is something that lot of people simply dont’ do , so they get stuck in an endless routine. They end up knowing tons of scales, arpeggios, can talk a lot of theory, but at the end of the day because they have no repertoire to show it, can’t actually play.

[@tlonik]

Thanx!

[@jroc2201]

You can't study or practice your way to being a good player, you've got to play to be a good player, it took me a very long time realize this simple fact, it's like an organic thing, you can't think about it

[@glennlopez6772]

I watched ( skipped ) a little and say you are enjoying the fruit of your labour! I also got to know something about you! I'm sure many would like your company, appreciating music. When you go about producing your video, please avoid interviewing persons who you know do not like Django and his tribe.

[@Tupac_Shakur-NL]

Wow that guitar sounds amazing!!! Where can i buy one?

[@lokmht9626]

Is the action in gypsy jazz high or low n how to choose gypsy jazz guitar...

[@PaulusCaesar]

I read it used to be quite high (as it makes it louder), but nowadays it's at the player's discretion. Most prefer a lower action, I guess.

[@keithpetersen9196]

I prefer medium to low with .010 strings

[@seckhoffable]

...with a side of Daniel G. Yum.

[@TheDjangofan]

Impressive Japanese!