Re: [Harp-L] Gypsy Jazz Harmonica

[Slim Heilpern <slim@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Some background on the term can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_jazz

I think Reinhardt/Grappelli were inspired by Venuti/Lang, but they took it to a somewhat different place.

Harmonica content: I remember reading, I forget where, that when Larry Adler was asked to sit in at a Django gig, he told Django he didn't have his harmonica with him, and Django pulled a chromatic out of his pocket for Larry to play. I don't know how accurate that story is, but I would have enjoyed hearing Django play chromatic ;-). 

- Slim.

On Dec 12, 2011, at 3:34 PM, Rick Dempster wrote:

> Why is it 'Gypsy' jazz? Sounds like string jazz to me, like Lang and
> Venuti were doing. I don't recall anything like ethnic Gypsy music in
> any of Django's recordings.
> Anyhow, call it what you like I suppose; great stuff.
> RD