Gypsy & Jazz
Gypsy & Jazz – what is the differece between traditional Jazz and Gypsy-Jazz?
Jazz-Manouche, Sintiswing, Gypsyjazz, Zigeuner-Jazz – the Jazz-Musik of Sinti and the anchestors of he french „Manouche“ or „Bohemians“ (how they are called in France) has many names. But they all contain the strong use of stringed instruments, especially the guitar in this music.
Initiated by the musical geniuity of the Sinto Jean-Baptiste „Django“ Reinhardt belgium born and raised in France, the history of the Swingjazz-guitar is strongly bounfd to him and his name. Django Reinhardt has made the Jazz-Guitar to what it is today in the european and international Jazz: a wonderful Soloinstrument.
Differences in Gypsy- and Jazz
The most basic difference between those two styles, the Gypsyjazz (also called Jazz-Manouche) and normal or „traditional“ Jazz lies in the play-technique.. But also the chosen instruments play a major role. Another important part are the songs chosen, which sure has many overlaps.Nevertheless do the Sinti-Musicians play many so called „Jazz-Standards“ for example „All of Me“ or „Sweet Georgia Browne“. Biut there are as well many stunes that arent to find in Standard-Jazz, which have been developed thru many other musical styles. 
In Jazz-Manouche we find many different influences and styles as well. For example like the hungarian Çsardas, the french Musette-Waltzes, the spanish Flamenco and the original musicof Sinti and Roma. But there is also traditoional Standard-Jazz – all this has developed this challenging musical style.
Django Reinhardt & Gypsy-Jazz
Django Reinhardt, together with Stephane Grapelli the Co-founder of the „Quintette du Hotclub de France„, has mainly influenced the way of play of Jazz-Manouche on the guitar.
Due to an accident at the age of 19 years, he was hardly injured, thus Django Reinhardt couldnt use the fingers of his left hand to say rather almost very few. Thats why he played many chords and solos mostly with only two(!) fingers. ,,Hier kann man mehr über die Lebensgeschichte von Django Reinhardt nachlesen.
Näheres dazu auch in meinem Gitarren-Lehrbuch „Gypsyjazz Guitar – A Tribute to Gypsyjazz“, erschienen beim Verlag Alfred Music Publishing, Köln (ISBN 10: 3933136865).
Die Spielweise des Jazz-Manouche unterscheidet sich daher in vielen Punkten (z.B. durch die verwendete Anschlagstechnik, das spezielle Akkordspiel, die Solistik usw.) sehr stark von der Art des traditionellen (Jazz-)Gitarrespiels. Diese Spieltechniken sind im wesentlichen Gegenstand der hier auf Gypsyjazz-Workshop.net angebotenen LIVE- und Online-Workshops.
Mehr über die Geschichte des Jazz-Manouche und wie er entstand gibt es hier nachzulesen.
Viele weitere Infos zum Thema Jazz-Manouche, Gypsyjazz, Sintiswing oder Zigeuner-Jazz, die Musik der Sinti und Roma wie auch News aus der Gypsyjazz-Szene, ein Archiv für alte Gypsyjazz-Gitarren und die History des Gypsyjazz und noch vieles mehr – alles was man über Jazz-Manouche wissen sollte, findet ihr auf unserer Partnerseite www.jazzmanouche.de nachzulesen.