About Jazz Manouche and Gypsy Roots

Gypsy Jazz is an idiom pioneered in the 1930s by guitar legend Django Reinhardt. Django was foremost among a group of guitarists working in and around Paris in the late 1920s and 30s. This group included the Ferre brothers, who also made important contributions to the development of what has come to be known as Gypsy jazz.

One of the primary sources of employment for musicians in Paris at that time was in various popular Musette ensembles. The Musette style waltz remains an important component in the Gypsy jazz repertoire. Reinhardt combined a dark, chromatic Gypsy flavor with the swing articulation of the period to create a beautiful and original style of jazz. His genius for improvised melody was characterised by ornamented arpeggios. This approach continues to form the basis for contemporary Gypsy jazz guitar. Reinhardt's most famous group, the Quintette Du Hot Club De France, also brought fame to jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Gypsy jazz is thriving today, with fans and practitioners found all over the globe.

In Gypsy jazz, guitar and violin are the primary solo instruments, although clarinet and accordion are also common. The rhythm guitar is played using a distinct percussive technique, "la pompe", that essentially replaces the drums. An upright bass fills out the ensembles. Although many instrumental lineups exist, the most common is one that includes one lead guitar, violin, two rhythm guitars, and bass

 

The core of Gypsy Roots is made up of James Beard and Thomas Wakefield, both on guitar and Larry Lyles on violin. When the band performs as a quartet, they typically complement the group with the upright bass. Gypsy Roots also incorporates the accordion and a drum for select venues.