View Poll Results: Django vs Charlie Christian
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- 65. You may not vote on this poll
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Django
34 52.31% -
Charlie Christian
31 47.69%
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Originally Posted by Phil59
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09-10-2020 08:20 PM
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Originally Posted by wintermoon
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Now that's anything but a juvenile response, my bad, carry on fellas, sorry.
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I am interested in any insights you might have on how CC and Django are similar. Apparently Django was influenced by Louis Armstrong early via records he got in France, and American bebop late partly because of his trip to the U.S. I am no expert, particularly about music theory. So please indulge me.
Both used arpeggios a lot. Django more so. I think Charlie was more blues-based, but Django recorded numerous blues tunes in which it seems to me that he used the available notes differently than Americans did. What do you think?
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Django used all sorts of shit. He played a lot scales too. Less blues, but he could be bluesy.
Both were extremely fond of the m6 on dominant sub; so Dm6 on G7.
Where they differ is that CC would use this even in a minor key - you can hear this in I Found a New Baby for instance. So, Em6 on A7 going to Dm6. Angular!
Django would be more like to opt for a diminished or a Neapolitan substitute in this case. Much more romantic/classical.
Charlie comes out of Lester young and 8th notes that look forward to bebop. (Earlier) Django comes out of Louis and more phrased on quarter notes with syncopation.
Charlie’s arpeggio shapes are little more based on chord grips such as drop 2s, going across the strings rather than the more violin/clarinet style arpeggios favoured by Django
Charlie was really fond of the natural 6th on natural minor - also a trademark of the Basie sound. I feel Django actually plays this less even though it is thought a ‘gypsy jazz’ sound; but I have not obviously checked out all the Django and he certainly used this sound.
So Charlie Christian = more dorian and melodic minor and Django = more harmonic minor; but that’s a simplification. You can hear Django using both. But Django REALLY liked the b6 in both major and minor. It’s a very romantic note.
In major (I’d have to check) it feels like Django like maj7 on maj (as did Louis) while Charlie Christian favours a major blues tonality like Lester.
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Originally Posted by christianm77
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Originally Posted by christianm77
It would be interesting to see how these two greats played the same tunes, such as "I Found a New Baby," "Rose Room" and "Sheik of Araby."
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Go!
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Originally Posted by christianm77
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Try to sing the solos first would be my advice (do it in the privacy of your own practice room obv, it’s not about being a singer, just getting to know the music away from the instrument.)
Aside from his solo Django gives a masterclass on playing a variation on the melody
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Originally Posted by christianm77
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Originally Posted by Phil59
One can certainly make educated observations about how the two players are similar and how they differ....
(some people actually thing more complex/more virtuoso = better. Bill Evans put the case against this particularly well, but that’s another post. This is a world where Jacob Collier is considered a ‘genius’ because of his raw ability.)
Anyway, that’s great. Did you learn the solos by ear?
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Originally Posted by christianm77
Finally, in answer to your question, you give me way too much credit by even asking it!!!
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Well I totally think you could say Django was the better guitar PLAYER... but better jazz guitarist? Well the jazz side of that is not unimportant...
Tey and learn at least a bit by ear. A single lick learned by ear is worth a hundred read solos, because there is so much nuance that cannot be written down. Perhaps you might gain a greater a appreciation for Charlie by doing this kind of deep listening.
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Originally Posted by christianm77
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George Barnes.
Lucy’s Jazz Guitar Gretsch G5420 an Projects
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