fingers, but it can stop you from playing if you try to copy Django, because the fmgers tire. Ow! That's not good. So I work with two fingers to learn the tune, and afterwards employ three or four fingers to play it. When l' rn at a festival or concert, I always like to play a piece with just two fingers. Stochelo Rosenberg, Bireli Lagrene, they all learned to play with two fingers. To understand Django well, it's obligatory. There are parameters, things one must play with two fmgers to project the character of the music.
What about playing chords ?
If you see him on film, he uses his thumb to extend
his chords. He could also use his third and fourth fingers for some chords, if
not for soloing.
Do you think there are enough violinists playing jazz Manouche
now ?
It is more difficult, the violin. That's why it is not
easy to find a good violinist. We are lucky to have Florin [Niculescu] playing
with us. He is in great demand.
But Django himself played the violin, and in his time,
there must have been many good Gypsy violinists...
Yes, but not who could play jazz. Manouche or not, he
found only Stéphane Grappelli.
And for yourselj; what do you see for the .future ?
I win continue playing this style, to help make it
known around the world. Maybe a tour to the United States. The more one plays
for everyone, the more people win know this music and the more the music win
live on. That's why it is important that there are many groups like ours.
Do you find that there are many more people playing
this music now ?