The Making of Django Reinhardt • Hacker News Board

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#21

Post by dang » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 8:55 PM UTC

ipaddr wrote: post #2

It's strange seeing valuable articles being flagged as dead in the new section but somehow this gets promoted to the front page because of the Django framework shares the same first name as this Jazz musician.

> Somehow this gets promoted to the front page because of the Django framework

That's not why. It was picked for the second-chance pool (explained at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26998308).

> valuable articles being flagged as dead in the new section

What are some examples?

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#22

Post by dang » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 8:58 PM UTC

vvpan wrote: post #5

As as ipaddr points out it seems this got promoted by an algorithm. But that aside I always felt like Django's music aged quiet poorly. A few country/blues/jazz and related styles from the first half of 20th century have. Big band - did not age well and effectively vanished as far I can see. Rag time, a very popular style for a couple of decades, gives me some enjoyment but mostly as a curiosity. That is all in contr…

Algorithms don't promote things on HN.

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#23

Post by dagurp » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 9:02 PM UTC

I was introduced to Django's music in the first Mafia game. It's part of why it's one of my all time favourite games.

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#24

Post by javier123454321 » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 9:04 PM UTC

code_runner wrote: post #3

If you aren't happy, or want to be happier, just put on some Django Reinhardt and sit back for a second. The Joe Pass tribute album is also absolutely incredible. Truly truly some amazing music.

The Joe Pass tribute is amazing. It is an ode by someone that is at a similar level of technical virtuosity, but with his own extremely distinct voice. It is a nod, not attempt to copy. Very unique.

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#25

Post by javier123454321 » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 9:39 PM UTC

vvpan wrote: post #5

As as ipaddr points out it seems this got promoted by an algorithm. But that aside I always felt like Django's music aged quiet poorly. A few country/blues/jazz and related styles from the first half of 20th century have. Big band - did not age well and effectively vanished as far I can see. Rag time, a very popular style for a couple of decades, gives me some enjoyment but mostly as a curiosity. That is all in contr…

I mean, he is often cited as one of the best guitarrists and jazz players in history, as well as one of the most influential.

There is an entire style of music which basically can be described as attempting to sound like him, with an active community of people playing circuits, festivals, and regularly gigging musicians exclusively building entire careers on playing Jazz Manouche.

I disagree with your take, and have trouble understanding what you mean.

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#26

Post by selflock » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 9:51 PM UTC

dagurp wrote: post #23

I was introduced to Django's music in the first Mafia game. It's part of why it's one of my all time favourite games.

Jesus, I didn't know that was his music. That's why his music sounded so familiar when I first heard it!

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#27

Post by crtified » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 10:58 PM UTC

If you're new to the music of Django (and equally, violinist Stephane Grappelli and the other excellent musicians involved), here is a great song :

Limehouse Blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfP820uuReI

It's not particularly important, but perhaps worth noting, that the disablement of the 2 burned fingers was not complete. Their motion and utility was severely curtailed due to the burn damage, but he still utilised them where he could. One of the final pictures in the linked article shows an example of how he could fret certain shapes with all 4 fingers if necessary, though this was certainly a minor part of his technique given the limitations.

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#28

Post by ryanisnan » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 11:10 PM UTC

vvpan wrote: post #5

As as ipaddr points out it seems this got promoted by an algorithm. But that aside I always felt like Django's music aged quiet poorly. A few country/blues/jazz and related styles from the first half of 20th century have. Big band - did not age well and effectively vanished as far I can see. Rag time, a very popular style for a couple of decades, gives me some enjoyment but mostly as a curiosity. That is all in contr…

This is meta-commentary about HackerNews in general.

Your statement about this post was addressed by dang directly, and maybe that's why your comment is being downvoted into oblivion. This feels to me like throwing the baby out with the bath water.

That is sad, given the "meat" of your comment is inquisitive, thought-provoking, and politely delivered.

Has anyone else felt frustrated by the voting patterns of the HN community lately?

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#29

Post by thangalin » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 11:43 PM UTC

CBC Radio's IDEAS has a great story about the lesser-known Stuff Smith:

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/violin-david-schulman-1.70411...

Django's music has brought people out swinging with Balboa and Lindy Hop for decades:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAJaBKL4sw4

And Bal-swing, too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcavxcM2TSs

Re: The Making of Django Reinhardt

#30

Post by michael_michael » Thu, Apr 18, 2024, 1:02 AM UTC

pachico wrote: post #16

Although I was already very familiar with jazz, I wasn't aware of Django and the Gypsy Swing / Swing Manouche. One day, probably being 16, I discovered it and it changed my experience with music forever. While my friends fantasized with motorcycles, I was dreaming to attend the Samois Sur Senne festival. This passion drove me to fly to Rome, Paris, Berlin, etc just to see Angelo Debarre or Rosenberg, to fanatically c…

Something similar happened to me. An artist I liked effusively praised Django Reinhardt in their CD liner notes. For a sheltered suburbanite, the words "Django Reinhardt" were more or less gobbledygook, so I had to figure out exactly who or what it meant and why it prompted one of my favorite guitarists to pen an ode of praise. All this sent me on a months-long quest to track down albums and information in a pre-search-engine flyover state about an obscure gypsy guitarist.

It wasn't till I was a year or so into knowing about Django Reinhardt that I learned he did it all with just two fingers on his left hand. It blew my mind.

I wonder if we've gained or lost something culturally by having the detailed discography and life story of every artist in our pockets.