Finally! For years now, the world of Jazz Manouche tuition has been almost exclusively about soloing-book after book arrived each promising to teach some of what makes this great music sound the way it does. Yet book after book gave short shrift to the most fundamental part of that sound: the unique rhythm styles of the music. Long-suffering rhythm guitarists finally have a corrective in Denis Chang’s new instructional DVD, which should be required viewing for anyone interested in getting at the heart of the style. Denis has studied, performed, and recorded with Fapy Lafertin, Lollo Meier, Ritary Gaguenetti, and Andreas Öberg, among others, and brings a first hand knowledge of the musics essentials to his teaching.
Eschewing any sort of written notation, the disc is firmly rooted in the traditional learning methods of the gypsy camps-Chang simply shows you what to do, forcing you to rely on your ears more than a book in front of you. It’s a presentation that rewards (and even demands) repeated viewing-with only the video, there’s no chance of fooling yourself into thinking you’ve mastered something. It’s a startling change of pace from the majority of tuition materials out there, and one I’m sure will disappoint some players, but it’s a bold and refreshing move, and one that should result in a more self aware player. Chang, who holds a degree in music from McGill University, does delve into theory a bit during the presentation, but never allows it to overwhelm the musicality of his examples. His section on simplifying (or complicating) progressions is a great example of how he uses theory in service to the music rather than an end unto itself.
The disc covers a LOT of ground (running time is over two hours) beginning with the most basic la pompe rhythm, moving through some of its subtleties and variations to 3/4 rhythms, latin styles, and even funk rhythm (something we’ll see more and more of among younger gypsy players.) While some of it will be familiar to intermediate and advanced players, there are also plenty of details to interest students of all levels-the look at Romanian and Hungarian rhythms and the advanced rhythm effects section should provide plenty of fodder for even the most dedicated player. The extended sequence of introductions and endings is also a welcome addition, and should help smooth out festival jam sessions everywhere.
The disc also features three students of varying skill levels, giving Chang an opportunity to point out and correct some common mistakes. Unfortunately, the audio levels are frequently imbalanced, meaning that the students questions and playing are often too soft to be of real use (especially with one using a nylon string guitar), but it’s a minor quibble about an otherwise outstanding effort.
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