Django's Satura

The satura seems to be quite a ubiquitous idea. In Jarrett's comparisons, the satura shows up in foods such as gumbo, but there's more satura in our lives than simply that. As a population, we see saturas on subway trains and crowded streets. In language, we see satura in the different dialects and various words we create that stem from cultural and geographic influences. I chose to listen to Django Reinhardt's "Minor Swing" becuase the description of the "gypsy guitarist" sounded intriguing for a jazz piece. Perhaps it is my lack of jazz-listening experience, but I was curious what a "gypsy guitarist" would sound like in jazz.

Upon first listening, I would not have been able to say why this piece could qualify as a satura. If anything, it seemed like an amalgam, a solid mixture of influences that have been melded together so as the distinct parts are no longer identifiable. But of course, this is my poorly tuned jazz ear speaking. During the second listening, I was able to identify how this piece is a true satura. Bear with me now: what I seemed to hear was a slight swing influence in the background, which kept the beat throughout the piece. On top of that, it seemed as though a guitarist from a Mexican mariachi band was plucked from his normal Friday night gig and placed here with Django. The bent notes that Jarrett mentioned were distinct and felt unique within the whole of this piece, and the violin that squeeled in delight at its chance to sing its solo made me think of many different folk or country songs in which the violin plays a similar role. During this second listening, the song seemed to become a ray of light refracted through the prism of experience, I guess I could say. I could slowly begin to distinguish some of the separate colors, the influences and the instruments.

Unlike some jazz music, this particular song made me want to grab a partner and dance...anyone would do, I'm sure the dog wouldn't mind. Perhaps that's why I picture swing as an underlying current for the piece. Most music will make me want to DO something, whether it be dancing, singing, or some kind of activity that gets me off my feet. But really, the music I've always felt the most in touch with, the kind that sings to ME, has always made me want to write. I never know what about, but that doesn't seem to matter. Sometimes those are the best times to do some writing, are they not?