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Here is a nice interpretation of the paco theme "zyryab" that I found yesterday on youtube.
The interpretation is done by two young talents :
- "Samuelito" : A young guitarist from France. - Antoine Boyer who is a (gypsy) jazz guitarist, I love him very much, he's very young, got a nice tone, a nice technique and very interesting compositions
Some links to discover them :
- Antoine Boyer : An extract from one of this album : he was 16 - 17 years old at that time :
Solo composition, abstract and beautiful :
-Samuelito :
Bulerias by paco
Pena Flamenca
I suspect it is one of his composition
For me the duet is very well done, I absolutely love the collaboration. Both solos are improvised, although samuelito take some paco licks. I hope they will compose some tunes for us...
You can notice how antoine is picking the note, his right hand doesn't touch the guitar in consequence he has a great volume, the technique is similar to the fretless arabic instruments like the oud for instance or the pulgar position that you can find in flamenco guitar. I suspect the origin of this right hand technique (pulgar or pick, for me the pulgar is like a pick when used like this, it serve the same purpose) was the need to have sufficient volume to compete with the other instruments.
A proof if it was needed that you can have a good tone with an acoustic steel string guitar.
RE: A very nice interpretation of &q... (in reply to sim999)
The technique is good, but not outstanding compared to what's out there. The solo's are not super imaginative or inventive. The tempo is kind of all over the place. It bothered me when the tempo suddenly dipped when the gypsy guy starts in the intro melody. They are very young and have not yet come into their own yet. I see great potential though.
RE: A very nice interpretation of &q... (in reply to sim999)
Todd's right, they're all over the place time wise. To the point where it starts becoming annoying to listen. They have obviously some skill, but they need to work hard on some basics.
RE: A very nice interpretation of &q... (in reply to n85ae)
Well I agree with both of you regarding the tempo, although I think that the intro with the presentation of the theme is voluntarily played with some "rubato". Sure the solos are not innovative or bloody gore awesome but hey in flamenco I have yet to find someone who is decent at improvising, if you ask me antonio Rey is terrible at it .
Regarding the technique I think it is sufficient, you don't need to have grisha's or javier conde 's technique in order to create good music. Antoine has already achieved much more than javier in this department...
quote:
They have obviously some skill, but they need to work hard on some basics.
A bit harsh for me but hey it may be the truth. If you check there videos, antoine can soloing just fine on jazz progressions in tempo, and samuelito know the bulerias compas.
Sure they need to improve some aspects in their playing, but they are way past the beginner or "basic" level.
In the end I agree with both of you, time will tell :)
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Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: A very nice interpretation of &q... (in reply to sim999)
quote:
You can notice how antoine is picking the note, his right hand doesn't touch the guitar in consequence he has a great volume, the technique is similar to the fretless arabic instruments like the oud for instance or the pulgar position that you can find in flamenco guitar. I suspect the origin of this right hand technique (pulgar or pick, for me the pulgar is like a pick when used like this, it serve the same purpose) was the need to have sufficient volume to compete with the other instruments.
The right hand technique comes directly from Django Reinhardt...it's an entire genre both musically, technically, and even the instruments themselves and perhaps some take it as far as clothing/mustache. But gypsies are like that. This kid has learned some of that style but couple of odd sounds, like that bend and his vibrato are coming from rock school. I would have to hear him swing. I don't get why they change the chart for HIS solo, doesn't make sense unless he is just not compentant at playing those changes? Timing was ok, they know what they are doing pretty much, I have heard lots worse.
EDIT: had some time to check other vids ... the swing guy is doing pretty good with the DJango style after all. "Samuelito" version of PDL is EXCEPTIONAL, super tight with the girl doing great palmas. That was top notch. The solo por Arriba was great too, perhaps a notch slower and he could pull off those picados at 4:15 cleanly, and throughout. The Peña video is difficult to watch...great player struggling with atrocious compas...palmas and especially cajon, a dragging behind popcorn noise mess that he was forced to endure till the end. Anyway, he is good, hope to hear more from him.
RE: A very nice interpretation of &q... (in reply to Ricardo)
Hi Ricardo,
Like always an intelligent response, from a connoisseur, I'm a very big fan of the gipsy jazz guitar style (in fact as much as flamenco :) ). I'm from France so I've seen a lot of artists in this genre : Bireli lagrène, the rosenberg trio (I missed jimmy...) , dorado et tchavolo schmitt, angelo debarre with tons of very good violinists and accordionists : florin niculescu, Ludovic beier, Richard Galliano etc... You can check "les doigts de l'homme" which is a quintet their last album is really great : "Mumbo Jumbo" all compositions are by them with really great arrangements : the band has two soloists, one accordion, one double bass and one accompagnist. They borrowed some elements from romanian music, american jazz, gipsy of course and even a riff in the style of "Rage against the machine". In a style that tends to stagnate and copy Django I find this album really great and a breeze of fresh air. They may not have god technique but they sure don't need lessons haha
The sound is not really good :
I love really like the "clip" of this one :
A valse, the second voice is really great, nice composition
From their first album speedy and really fun, tight rhythm on this one, again their composition
You can surely find the album on deezer / spotify etc.
I know about the right hand and where it come from (Next to Django, there is Paco, there are like gods upon us :p) since I played a bit in this style years ago. I was wondering myself if the technique or the position could be traced back to the eastern picked instruments that's all.
I Agree with you about the compas in the pena flamenca it's a bit terrible, but "Samuelito" is really good and he's no joke. About Antoine I could understand why he have thrown you off. He 's more modern, his harmonic vocabulary is way bigger than the traditionnal player. He has played with the best (all the names before pretty much) when he was like 14 so he knows his stuff. I'm a bit surprised about the reaction from Toddk and n85ae. Most of the time I completely agree with them but these 2 (samuelito and antoine) don't need to revise "basics" and they definitely know how to play in rhythm. You don't play with the best in these styles if you're a noob. The general level in flamenco and gipsy jazz is incredibly high.
Finally about Antoine, If you listen you can see that most of the times he's truly improvising and does not repeat licks after licks at the speed of light (rosenberg who :) ) like often in this style. For me he's already pretty much one of the best in this style. I'm sure he could played more traditionnal if he wants, he has his own voice with respect of the tradition, good technique and good taste that's all you need. There are tons of players in flamenco and in gipsy jazz with very good technique and there will be even more tomorrow. He has already pass this aspect. I hope they will released something good together. They give multiple concerts in France for this duet, I hope to catch them to see the other themes that they have chosen / composed...
Sorry if my posts are a bit long I try to share some "underground" artists that may interest some members, be it in flamenco or other styles.
RE: A very nice interpretation of &q... (in reply to sim999)
Wow, some of you guys are needlessly harsh. I get the feeling that some of this sort of sentiment stems simply from the fact that these are young musicians... very unnecessary IMO... this is obviously a really creative take on a great composition that doesn't need to be replicated note-for-note. I really enjoyed this, thanks for posting it, Simon. :) Some of the harmonic substitutions are really cool.
I also didn't notice any tempo fluctuations -- simply a change in groove and harmony for when Antoine is soloing, which is obviously a conscious decision that they made. Like/agree with it or not, it has nothing to do with their technical ability! Just two young, very technically adept, and creative musicians having fun, IMO. :) The only thing is that they got the chords at the end wrong, as most people who cover this piece do -- but, overall, big deal!
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but hey in flamenco I have yet to find someone who is decent at improvising, if you ask me antonio Rey is terrible at it 
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