A word or two abt Gypsy Jazz in the #EU - In the U.S., we often presume that jazz is entirely an American invention. Not true. If jazz is defined as a largely unstructured & spontaneous musical conversation around a central melodic theme, then Gypsies have been making jazz for centuries. That makes sense when one appreciates the hardwired Zeitgeist of Gypsy #music, which requires each performance of a tune to reflect the moment, the instrumentalists involved and the emotional context of the experience.

The French Manuche and the Dutch/German Scinti clans of Gypsies had a significant impact on the world of Jazz. Guitarist Django Reinhardt and fiddle player Stephan Grapelli, with his famously flaming fingers, epitomize the fusion of Gypsy traditions with jazz. Django's lead riffs and instrumental ornamentations defined "cool jazz" in Paris during the 30s and 40s.

I penned an essay about #GypsyMusic that makes a case for attributing musical improvisation to #Gypsy clans. #Roma

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JrREGCbaXJi4wH5Ez1r9d6oz-biikhN9VIYrnt1hNfg/edit?usp=drivesdk