“Minor Swing” is a staple of jazz, swing, and even folk jams, and one common source in recent years has been a David Grisman recording from the mid-1970s. In this lesson, Grant goes back to the source: the classic 1937 recording by Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli, and the Quintette du Hot Club de France. That version was played with a percussive swing rhythm called “le pompe” (the pump) by manouche musicians. The tune itself is minimal: a simple arpeggiated intro and outro sandwiching a single-form “blowing section” for soloing. The heavy rhythmic accompaniment leans heavily on minor sixth chords with a variety of substitutions. (Next month Grant will explore the Grisman setting.) In this video, Grant teaches the brief head and outro, and goes into a detailed study of the basic rhythm and chord progression.
