Gypsy Jazz (sometimes known as Jazz-Manouche) is the first unique style of jazz music originating from Europe. It has influences that stem from; Hungarian Czardas; French musette waltzes; Spanish flamenco; and, of course, the music of the Sinti. It was originally played exclusively by Sinti musicians in a swing style. Django Reinhardt, the most renowned player of Gypsy Jazz, made it popular throughout the world with his ground-breaking techniques. To this day countless guitarists are influenced by the music and personality of Django Reinhardt.
In Sinti culture, the techniques of playing Gypsy Jazz are traditionally passed down orally from generation to generation without ever being written down. It is because of this that musicians who are not Sinti often misunderstand the essence of this distinctly intriguing and fascinating music. The need for an authentic, written introduction to Gypsy Jazz guitar inspired Bertino Rodmann, a performing Gypsy Jazz guitarist from Frankfurt, Germany, to create this written method for Gypsy Jazz Guitar. Using the best examples of all the best performances, past and present, as well as showcasing the typical aspects of rhythm and lead guitar in Gypsy Jazz, his book aims to develop the reader's respect for the ancient traditions of the Sinti and their music and bring this to a wider culture.
