Gypsy Jazz: In Search of Django Reinhardt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing

by Michael Dregni

Book Overview

Of all the styles of jazz to emerge in the twentieth century, none is more passionate, more exhilaratingly up-tempo, or more steeped in an outsider tradition than Gypsy Jazz. And there is no one more qualified to write about Gypsy Jazz than Michael Dregni, author of the acclaimed biography, Django.

A vagabond music, Gypsy Jazz is played today in French Gypsy bars, Romany encampments, on religious pilgrimages--and increasingly on the world's...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195311922
• ISBN13: 9780195311921
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A Joy to Read, Gypsy Jazz Fans Will Appreciate!

Very thorough and well researched! Michael gets the ins and outs of this musical style and is a Gypsy Jazz Authority for sure! From the origins of the music, by the master of guitar Django Reinhardt, to the modern day players, he explains the evolution of Gypsy Jazz with clear understanding. If you're a fan of Gypsy Jazz this book must be on your shelf! Gypsy Daydream The Journals of The Jacoby Odyssey: Magicante, Firemancer and Initiation (Volume 1)

Best book you can get if you don't read french or live in France

Being half french myself (son of a French family emigrated to Argentina in the 50's) , having lived in Paris for a while and knowing a good deal of gypsy jazz from seeing, playing and talking about it in it's original land, I can say that Dregni knows his subject. Even if - for literary or other purposes - he seems at times to romanitize a little bit (Nobody these days fight in Rue Lepic, much less with knives ( I used to live just around Café des Deux Moulins before and after it was sold, due to the "Amélie Poulain fame") or take some tales as is (ALL french gypsies call themselves "cousins" no matter what relation they have) the book is indeed the best researched, best written, best all encompassing piece on the subject that I've had come across. The only exception being Alain Antonietto's works (who happens to be - It seems - a close friend to Dregni). If you play this music, simply love it or even if you have just a small curiosity about it, get Dregni's book right away. On the same note (and being a musician myself) I can add a tip: stay away from Paul Melhing Gypsy guitar DVD's and books. The guy doesn't have a clue of what he's talking about (see youtube vid's for a sample) and - ias a side effect - you'll get convinced of this once you've read Dregni's book.

A Great View Into the World of Gypsy Jazz

Gypsy Jazz has gone from being an obscure, nearly forgotten form of music to being more popular than ever and most of this started with the story of Django Reinhardt that has long been known among guitar players. Michael Dregni has gone to great lengths to research the roots of Gypsy Jazz and to flesh out the story far beyond just Django Reinhardt's contribution to the genre. He also shows that Gypsy Jazz did not cease to develop with Django's death in 1953. The music was carried forward by many people over the years and has evolved along the way. Dregni went to great lengths to research who these people were and to interview them. The crowning acheivement of all this was a guitar lesson he took from David Reinhardt, the grandson of Django himself. Another high point was the account of attending the annual Gypsy pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. After the religious services the next activity is countless jam sessions in the Gypsy encampments. One can only wonder just what it would be like to be there and hear some of the finest, most spontaneous music known to man. Well, that's as much as I'm going to give you for free, if you want more you'll have to buy the book . . . something I recommend highly to anyone with an interest in Gypsy Jazz.