I hope you like Djammin too.....

My first ever jam session... a sweet defeat;

After my first lesson with Popy I felt really comfortable practicing today. I was going along nicely with my chord progressions. Put on my Denis Chang DVD and played till it hurt. So when Frédéric mailed me to ask me if I would join him and his new friend Nico for a jam session that night there was not a split second of doubt.

I met Frédéric about a month ago when I was looking for a suitable place on the internet to post an add asking around for people in my neighbourhood also suffering from Djangofever. Came out Frédéric had beat me to it. I followded his link and we mailed back and forth for a while, sharing tips, resources and planning to meet up sometime for a genuine Gypsy Jazz jam session at his place.

So far so good... so what? You might think...

Well... here's what happened;

Entering appartment, shaking hands, enjoying drink, putting livingroom table aside... no problem. The wellknown opening tune of "Minor Swing"... Still no sweat... The first chords of "Minor Swing"... Hey! That came out pretty good! Then "Les Yeux Noirs"... oeps, reality check... Nico and Frédéric were long gone as I desperatly tried to follow the grid lying in front of me. Maybe a little to much to soon... Embarassing?, hum, slightly, but whatever...
I was glad Frédéric reacted comprehensivly to my incompetence and tried his best to make it easier for me to play the right chords by showing me simplified versions of the real Gypsy Jazz deal (wich he seemed to master pretty well by the way!) I tried my very best to keep up and felt I did not manage to bad the first half hour or so. I tried to play not to loud so any mistake would pass unnoticed, but this was underestimating my newly made jam friends. Arriving to "Ceasar Swing" I started to give up, not wanting to slow down any longer the anticipated fun and extasy of jammin I felt Fédéric and Nico were so eager to experience.

And so they played! Wonderfully!

Nico with his years of experience and Frédéric with his entousiasm and elborate skills were an absolute blessing to hear and see. I soon got over my little defeat and soacked up the sweetness of being in a place were people play Gypsy Jazz guitar with their heart and soul!


Songs I will have to practice for our next meeting; "Minor Swing", "Les Yeux Noirs" and "Ceasar Swing"

On my way out Frédéric gave me a short list of grids to practice for our next appointment... so I suggest I stop blogging...and start playing!

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