Fans of Gypsy Jazz can usually recall their first encounter with Django. Mine was through a movie - Sweet and Lowdown with Sean Penn. My husband and I were avid participants in the film fest and the plot of the movie looked neat.  Up the spiral shaped BMW Museum we walked - passing one shiny meseum relic after another… the cars were interesting, but they just don’t give me chills. It was a fairly long walk to the top and we had a sense of “where are we going”? We were led to a room with folding chairs at the top of the museum. Interesting location for sure. The film caught fire towards the end - BMW wasn’t on the list for next year’s festival.

Adventure aside, the movie was well acted and had an engaging plot. Woody Allen did a great job crafting a movie that brought to life Sean Penn’s character. He was brilliant, sad, neurotic, and mean yet you still love him. Maybe it’s because he could play that guitar so damn well.  Maybe it’s because Gypsy Jazz, to my ears, was sparkling and new. In the end, the character shouldn’t be likable. But he is. I think it’s because of the music.

Years earlier I had seen Chocolat. Excellent movie - still one of  my favorites. I loved the chocolate, the story, the romance, and I always knew the music was great. Gypsy Jazz, particularly the song, Minor Swing, was all over that movie. I knew there was a reason why I kept returning. I thought it was the chocolate - I could watch chocolate melt for hours. But no, I think at least part of the allure is because of the soundtrack. It’s delicious.

Maybe it was a year later? we took a trip to Norway. Deep sea fishing. Boat rides through fjords, one looonnnggg bus ride to one of our stops, a long and satisfying hike… I caught my first fish in a deep sea boat. I was the only one on the trip who caught anything. That trip continued the tradition of not being home for my birthday - I can’t even remember the last birthday I spent at home….

A memorable trip indeed. One of the most striking cities was Bergen. Great vibe. World class restaurants. Relaxed and affluent. I don’t remember where we ate that night, only that it was somewhere near the water. What I do remember is hearing Gypsy Jazz while walking. Where was it coming from? It took me a moment but then I knew… I remember four guitar players but there could have been three of five or six… it was a beautiful sweet sound - the jumping swing beat of the music was unmistakable. The quartet was on the top level of a docked private boat. Great place for a jam. I wished our restaurant was near them, but alas we only listened for a minute or two and moved on.

Each day gives me new opportunity to make a new Gypsy Jazz story. Just yesterday I heard it at brunch - the place clearly has a French influence. But, years after my first meeting with Django one thing is clear - I never grow tired of hearing it.

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