SWING ALONG WITH DJANGO

Description

“Swing Along With Django” is a dedicated study of the accompaniment side of Django Reinhardt’s genius, the aspect of his playing that is most often overlooked and yet most foundational to the entire gypsy jazz sound. Written as a heartfelt homage to Django’s unmistakable accompaniment style, the book approaches its subject through the transcription and analysis of five iconic recordings, Out of Nowhere, Manoir des Mes Reves, Bill Coleman Blues, the First Movement of the Concerto for Two Violins, and What a Difference a Day Made, each presented in full notation and tablature and paired with a companion video. The underlying premise is simple but profound: jazz guitar is as much about rhythm as it is about melody, and Django’s accompaniment was never merely a backdrop but a living, breathing, deeply musical force that gave the whole ensemble its shape, energy, and swing. For any guitarist serious about gypsy jazz, understanding how Django accompanied is not optional, it is essential, and this book provides one of the most direct and practical windows into that world available anywhere.