Is there also a unique rhythmic and harmonic approach that distinguishes the music from traditional jazz?
Yes. The rhythms are more lively and infectious than straight-ahead jazz rhythms, which tend to be more cerebral. It’s the same with the harmonies. The standard jazz harmonic extensions are higher—more 9, 11, and 13 alterations—which throws all of the lines way up—sometimes making them less heart and sex oriented. In contrast, Gypsy jazz stays right in the emotional zone. Also, the Gypsy element itself, which comes from Eastern European Gypsy music, is defined by a minor-sixth tonality. If you’re on the I chord, you use a minor sixth, not a minor seventh, whereas straight-ahead jazz or Latin is going to sound like Santana with that minor seventh chord. But if you play a minor sixth chord, it’s a little bit more mysterious. And Django used a diminished arpeggio over the V chords, which makes an E an E7flat9. So that gives a sort of harmonic minor tonality to it, as well, which is very Gypsy. How did having only two functioning left hand fingers affect Django’s style? When you’ve got fou
