Django Reinhardt’s tune “Minor Swing” has become a popular jam favorite among Gypsy jazz musicians as well as bluegrass and string band players of various instruments. Django recorded it a couple of times with Stephane Grappelli and the Hot Club of France, and bluegrass/jazz mandolinist David Grisman popularized a slightly different version in the bluegrass world. In this lesson, you’ll learn the melody and chords from Django’s recordings as well as a solo from his classic 1937 recording (which you can hear here). Scott starts by showing you the melody, which is different when it’s played at the beginning of the tune than it is at the end. You’ll learn both versions of the melody, as well as the harmony line Django played to Grappelli’s violin on the intro melody. Scott also shows you the chords Django (and his guitarist accompanists) used to play “Minor Swing” in this video.
