Gypsy Jazz – Chris Haigh

Pioneered by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in the 1930’s, this distinctive and uniquely European branch of jazz has since spread across the world. For a string player, it is probably the most accessible and popular type of jazz. In this workshop, we will look at the jazz standard “All of Me:” (1) How to make the melody fresh, relaxed and swinging; Breaking up longer notes; Linking phrases; Rolls; (2) Understanding and using the chords: Root, 3rd, 5th and 7th; playing the arpeggios; Work through a series of exercises, picking out different parts of the chord; Learn how to turn arpeggios into licks; (3) Learn some classic Grappelli licks that will work on this tune; (4) Look at some general points to keep your improvisation interesting; Phrasing and pauses; Bowing- length and position; Repetition. LEVEL REQUIREMENTS: You will need to be able to read music to a moderate standard, and have a basic understanding of music theory- chords, scales and intervals. 

Haigh-gypsy jazz