Gypsy jazz (also known as "Gypsy Swing") is an idiom sometimes said to have been started by the Ferré brothers in the late 1920s, which later became popular due to the work of guitarist Django Reinhardt in the 1930s. Because its origins are largely in France it is often called by the French name, "Jazz manouche," or alternatively, "manouche jazz," even in English language sources. Django was foremost among a group of guitarists working in and around Paris in the late 1920s and 30s.

Many of the musicians in this style worked in Paris in various popular Musette ensembles. The Musette style waltz remains an important component in the Gypsy jazz repertoire. Reinhardt was noted for combining a dark, chromatic Gypsy flavor with the swing articulation of the period. This combination is critical to this style of jazz. In addition to this his approach continues to form the basis for contemporary Gypsy jazz guitar. Reinhardt's most famous group, the Quintette du Hot Club de France, also brought fame to jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli.

Gypsy jazz, along with traditional Gypsy music, is learned by the passing down of knowledge from older generations. Many Gypsy musicians do not read notated music. It is more common for beginners to spend hours learning and memorizing songs from recordings and gleaning techniques from more experienced players.

In Gypsy jazz, guitar and violin are the main solo instruments, although clarinet and accordion are also common. The rhythm guitar is played using a distinct percussive technique, "la pompe", that essentially replaces the drums. An upright bass fills out the ensembles. Although many instrumental lineups exist, a group including one lead guitar, violin, two rhythm guitars, and bass is often the norm.

Contemporary gypsy jazz

Gypsy jazz is thriving today, with fans and practitioners found all over the globe. The largest audiences and highest caliber of musicians are still found in Europe as this is where the style originates. Stochelo Rosenberg is perhaps the most famous performer today.

Some Outstanding Contemporary Manouche Guitarists in the Django Reinhardt/Le Jazz Hot Tradition, as heard annually at the Festival de Jazz Django Reinhardt at Samois-sur-Seine, France, are:-

Tchavolo Schmitt, Dorado Schmitt, Fapy Lafertin, Biréli Lagrène, Jimmy Rosenberg, Jon Larsen, Stochelo Rosenberg, The Rosenberg Trio, Angelo Debarre, Babik Reinhardt, Moreno, Patrick Saussois, Dario Pinelli, Ritary Gaguenetti, Robin Nolan, Samson Schmitt, Mandino Reinhardt, Stephane Wrembel, to name just a few.

Selmer-Maccaferri Guitar

The Selmer-Maccaferri Guitar is an unusual acoustic guitar best known as the favored instrument of Django Reinhardt. Early models have a large, D-shaped soundhole (the "grande bouche," or "big mouth"), which was shaped specifically to accommodate the internal resonator invented by luthier Mario Maccaferri. The scale and fretting of the guitar is very similar to contemporary Gibson and Martin guitars, with the wide fretboard expected on a classical guitar. Later models, produced by Selmer, have a tall oval soundhole instead (the "petite bouche," or "little mouth") and a longer scale length.

The resonator was not a successful innovation, and very few remaining instruments retain the resonator. It was prone to buzzing and rattling and made repairs difficult; most were removed. However, some modern builders of Selmer-style instruments (notably Canadian luthier Michael Dunn) have resurrected the feature.

Before the advent of amplification, Selmers had the same kind of appeal for European players that the archtop guitar did in America: it was loud enough to be heard over the other instruments in a band. The "petite bouche" model has an especially loud and cutting voice, and even today it remains the design preferred by lead players in Django-style bands, while the accompanying rhythm players often use D-hole instruments. (This was the lineup in Django's Quintette du Hot Club de France during its classic period in the late 1930s, and it remains the pattern for bands that emulate them.)

Selmer did not make large numbers of guitars, and the company stopped production altogether in 1952, so original Selmers command high prices.

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Wikepedia refereces: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_jazz , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selmer_Maccaferri .