Gypsy jazz
The Manouche jazz tradition built around acoustic guitars, a percussive rest-stroke picking technique and a distinctive chugging rhythm.
Gypsy jazz centres on two roles: a solo guitar playing fast, arpeggio-heavy lines with a rest-stroke pick attack, and one or two rhythm guitars playing la pompe, a hard four-to-the-bar chord pattern with a distinctive snap. There is usually no drum kit, so the harmony instruments provide the rhythm, which is why the accompaniment style matters as much as the soloing. The sound demands a stiff, heavy pick and an instrument built loud enough to be heard unamplified.
Example: An up-tempo acoustic trio with a hard driving rhythm guitar and a soloist playing rest-stroke lines is gypsy jazz.
See also
Related
- PageGypsy picking
- PageRest stroke
- PageArchtop
- PageAmericana
- PageBebop
- PageBluegrass
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley