Django - A Guitar Genius

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pubrunner

Legendary Member
I've just come across this on YouTube; apparently, there are only a couple of clips of Django in existence (the smokingest guitarist in the smokingest band ever :biggrin:)

At 2:53, just how does he do that ? And a few seconds later, he seems to get his fingers under the strings and lift them ? What a fabulous guitarist;


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iJ7bs4mTUY


This is an interesting article about when Django met Segovia (written by Stephane Grappelli)


"He used to play the guitar with the fingers sometimes, instead of the plectrum, and he liked the Spanish guitar. I remember us being invited to a party by a titled lady who used to delight in giving parties and inviting among her guests two people who were absolutely the opposite both in conception and tastes.

This particular evening it was the turn of Andres Segovia and Django Reinhardt. So of course Django arrived three hours late, and without a guitar. Segovia was there, naturally at the right time and he'd played his repertoire. Everybody was upset because of Django and finally he arrived with a lovely smile, thinking it was okay. We said, 'Where have you been ? You're three hours late'. 'Oh, I didn't know'.

Because Django never knows the time. He goes by the sun. 'Django, now it's your turn to play something'. But of course he had forgotten his guitar and Segovia doesn't want to lend him his, so someone has to rush off in a taxi to find some old box somewhere. And there you are; Django played solo guitar with a plectrum and then his fingers and he produced such a fantastic sound and improvisations that Segovia was amazed and asked, 'Where can I get that music?' Django laughed and replied 'Nowhere, I've just composed it!'"

All done with just two fingers on his left hand !
 

Hacienda71

Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
Looks like Stephan Grappelli playing the fiddle with him, also a legend.
 

Andy in Sig

Vice President in Exile

delb0y

Legendary Member
Location
Quedgeley, Glos
Can't argue with this thread. These days, Django is my number one. The more I listen to him, read about him, even transcribe and try to play along, the more in awe I become.

Derek
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
pubrunner said:
...Segovia was amazed and asked, 'Where can I get that music?' Django laughed and replied 'Nowhere, I've just composed it!'"

Yup. Not just a brilliant musician, but a genius at improvisation.
 
OP
OP
pubrunner

pubrunner

Legendary Member
Ian H said:
Yup. Not just a brilliant musician, but a genius at improvisation.

Yes, and he (to my eyes) makes it all look so effortless; it just seems to come so naturally.

Apparently, he couldn't even read music; Les Paul idolised Django and said this about him . . . . . . .

"The last time I saw Django alive, we were riding in the back seat of a taxi, and he tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I could read music. I said, no, I didn't, and he laughed 'till he was crying and said, "Well, I can't read either. I don't even know what a C is; I just play them."

From:
http://www.thebluegrassspecial.com/archive/2010/march10/django-reinhardt-les-paul.php
 
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