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Paul Vernon Chester
 
One of the UK’s and the world’s finest Gypsy Jazz guitarists, Paul’s
playing and compositions are rapidly bringing him to the forefront of
the jazz guitar scene. His playing, in the Django tradition, is warm
open hearted and high octane!
Regularly appearing on the same stage as many
of the big names of the genre, Paul’s work has been broadcasted both in the UK
and abroad. His
compositions once heard are rarely forgotten.
‘Hauntingly beautiful’ and ‘infectious’ are
both accurate descriptions that have been applied to Paul’s music, as
proven in many performances that have earned him huge respect from
audiences and artists alike. He is internationally respected and has
shared stages with some of the world's finest Gypsy Jazz musicians.
Described by one hardened Gypsy Jazz fan as "scarily good" he not only
plays with great technical finesse but, most importantly, with enormous
charm and soul. He is supported by his cousin and long time accompanist,
the superb rhythm guitarist, Nick Mellor.
Paul endorses
JWC
Guitars
Paul Vernon Chester Video
Paul Vernon Chester Video - 2 (Autumn leaves)
 'SUITE
DJANGO’ – PAUL VERNON CHESTER
One
of the finest Django stylists in the world, and a wonderful composer,
Paul has
come up with a truly beautiful album of his own exciting tunes to depict
key events and people in Django’s life. A real gem of a CD!
With Ian Cruickshank, Rhythm.gtr. and Andy Crowdy, bass.
His playing is warm, open-hearted and
high octane.
'Duets for Django'
recorded at
Live @
Concert Jazz In Thame
on 14/03/07 (Paul's Birthday). This celebration may
account for the Manouche Magic captured by
Jake
Kirkpatrick at this high Quality Jazz Venue in Oxfordshire.
This High Quality Production gives great insight to Paul's compositions,
faultless technique and ability to improvise inventively on a chord structure
and his tender treatment of .slow tempo compositions.
The
attentive listening audience were so enraptured that their presence is only apparent in the enthusiastic applause at the end of each number.
A must for Manoucheries - This is professional stuff - no Bootleg productions -
all worthy of our Highest Standards.
Paul
and his cousin, rhythm guitarist NICK MELLOR have been playing together
since they were kids-and their rapport is clearly apparent in their
performances.
Video of Paul in Action @ Concert Jazz Thame 14/03/07
Video of Nick in Action @ Concert Jazz
in Thame 14/03/07
New Duo Recording Release
'DAY OF THE MANOUCHE'.
This is a joint venture organised by Guitar Maker's and Sponsor -
JWC
Guitars.
There are 20 tracks including 10 original compositions by
Paul Vernon Chester.
Tribute compositions by Paul include the following:
Jeongwoo's Waltz - dedicated to the Manouche Guitar's
Master Luthier - Jeongwoo Cho
Toogood to be True - in praise of the UK Pioneer Jazz Guitarist
Jack Toogood
Maccaferri Waltz - tribute to legendary Selmer
collaborator Luthier and Guitarist -
Mario Maccaferri
Karen's Theme - dedicated to
Paul's Wife.
Tune for Chet -
dedicated to the late Country Picker 'Chet Atkins'
 Sleeve
Notes:
The Manouche musical legacy, the gift of
a Gypsy Prince continues to cast its spell and enchant us still. This
album is a celebration of our adopted music.
It combines material familiar from the canon of
Django's Art together with new material and melodies, less familiar. Nick
and I recorded it on a day in April 2009 on a range of Manouche Guitars
including a nylon strung 14 fret Classic.
These Guitars, made by Jeongwoo Cho, for Manouche
Guitars of Cheltenham, inspire and invoke the Gypsy Spirit. Track 2 is our
tribute to him.
In addition, our friend the veteran Jazz Guitarist
Jack Toogood inspired Track 5
The variety of instruments allowed us to explore
contrasts, colours, tones, textures and most importantly, mood and atmosphere.
Playing essentially Manouche Music on Manouche Guitars with a rhythm guitarist
who is not only your cousin but your lifelong accompanist, is always a joy,
indeed the whole day was a joy. It was - The Day of the Manouche!
Paul Vernon Chester
Day of the Manouche - Purchase Enquiry
CD DEALERS: PLEASE ENQUIRE FOR TRADE PRICES
Paul's Master
Classes
- Gypsy Jazz Guitar Workshop
Paul holds regular Tuition schools in
Walsall in the West Midlands and it is a great opportunity to receive
first class instruction from this world respected guitarist and and
opportunity download from him a deal of his personal recollections and
anecdotes regarding the music he loves and promotes. His dexterity,
musicianship, intricate skills, historical interest and enthusiasm are a
joy to absorb. If you are a serious student you could have no finer
teacher than Maestro Paul Vernon Chester in the demanding and
delicate delights of Manouche Swing Jazz.
Workshop Details
Gypsy
Jazz - by Paul Vernon Chester
 There
has never been a better time for anyone wishing to play in the tradition
of the great gypsy, Django Reinhardt. I say this from the
standpoint of over four decades playing this wonderful music. In
conversation with my cousin and rhythm guitarist, Nick Mellor, we often
reflect on the wealth of material and opportunities available today for
the gypsy jazz student in terms of recordings, gigs and festivals,
guitars, workshops and tutors etc, devoted to our hero. This is in stark
contrast to the sparse resources at our disposal, other than Django’s
recordings, when we began our journey as enthusiastic kids years ago. In
this respect it is worth reminding ourselves in the gypsy jazz community
of the early ‘promotional pioneers’ of the genre, but more on that
later.
As is the case with many of my contemporaries, my first acquaintance
with Django’s playing was against the backdrop of the 1960s where guitar
generally was the instrument of choice for bands of the time.
Most popular music releases contained the obligatory guitar solo and the
period was bound to raise the profile of exceptional instrumentalists,
with such a sharpening global focus. This was a period where guitarist
as diverse as Chet Atkins and Segovia enjoyed increasing adulation. The
concept of virtuosity was given greater prominence. Guitar heroes like
Hendrix and Clapton led the pack and were pushing the boundaries with
challenging sounds and techniques. Many Pop guitarists looked to more
accomplished musicians for inspiration and the technical and dynamic
range of the instrument was expanded as never before. Guitars sold in
massive numbers.
Like thousands of other kids I was caught up in the energy of the times
and became inseparable from my guitar. I listened to and tried to
assimilate the solos of my guitar heroes moving from one to the next,
always looking for increasing levels of complexity and difficulty. It
was bound to happen! I remember a guitarist friend of my brother, always
aware of my insatiable desire for improvement, recommending I listen to
a gypsy guitarist who was better than all others and to top it all,
played mainly with only two fingers! His name was Django Reinhardt.
Where do I listen to this guitarist? Is he alive? What does he play
like? What happened to his hand?
  I
saved several week’s pocket money to buy my first Django album, a
‘Music for Pleasure’ LP. I could not wait to get it home. I remember
listening to ‘Sweet Sue’ and being totally shocked and utterly surprised
at the extremely poor recording quality of the clarinet intro but
regardless, nothing could prepare me for the earth shattering solo from
this Django guy! I could no longer hear recording imperfections but
could only marvel at the energy and boundless inventiveness of this
singularly astounding musician. Two fingers!! I have been smitten ever
since. That energy still remains, that spontaneity continues. The
breathtaking skill and creativity survive unabated. Django is timeless.
Django lives!
I began my studies immediately. I learned Nuages first, playing along
with the record over and over until I thought it sounded right. Nick and
I sat for hours playing through our slowly but steadily increasing
Django repertoire. We sought out information about the man, about these
weird guitars with sound chambers. Some people called them Selmer's and
others, Maccaferris. Some had D shaped holes and some oval. You could
not buy them as they were very rare! Our investigations only ever got so
far and our knowledge of Django gleaned almost exclusively from record
sleeve notes, read over and over. Some years later Charles Delaunay's
biography became available at the public library. Needless to say, it
was read from cover to cover several times over.
Playing Django at this time was to some extent un-cool and to most
audiences unfamiliar. It was not Pop music! Nick and I did gigs where we
initially played heavily Chet Atkins-influenced sets but now
interspersed with Django numbers. It was at this time that we were
introduced to a local musician and Django exponent, Fred Degville
who played advanced ‘Hot Club’ with his son Paul, a few years our
senior. Paul still plays and is an amazing guitarist. Check him out.
 Fred
was a mentor and generous spirit who really encouraged our devotion to
Django, allowing us to nervously sit in for a few numbers. Occasionally,
Diz Disley would be in the area and would sit in with Fred. The
first time I heard Diz he was amazing. He played wonderfully imaginative
solos and on a ‘real’ Maccaferri! I remember learning the solo to ‘I’ll
see you in my dreams’ and playing it on Diz’s Maccaferri. Fred’s band
would always comprise double bass, rhythm guitar, clarinet or violin and
the quality of musicianship was always superb. Fred was a real pioneer
in the UK.
I think it must be said that Diz did so much for the introduction and
development of gypsy jazz, not just in the UK but internationally.
Indeed, the regeneration of Stephane Grapelli’s career as many
will know, was down to Diz Disley. He had also worked with Joseph
Reinhardt. I feel that it is so important to remember this chapter in
the Django Legacy. Similarly, in more recent times Ian Cruickshank
became the leading light in terms of introducing us to the new
generation of gypsy guitarists through his links with world class
exponents and promotional work and we owe him a great debt of gratitude
through his knowledge and empathy for shaping much of the gypsy jazz
landscape as we now perceive it. ‘Django Legacy’ must form a part of
every devotees collection of resources. A big thank you to both Diz and
Ian! Similarly in France we must respect the authority of Alain
Antonietto and in more recent times, Michael Dregni for their
inspirational work.
  The
music has never been in better shape with so many wonderful guitarists
offering their own take on this music. The quality of musicianship
develops at an astonishing level. Accessibility has never been stronger
with Festivals throughout the world. Affordable instruments are
available in profusion for the aspiring gypsy guitarist, DVDs, CDs, the
internet. Django would be amazed! - Paul Vernon Chester©
Michael Dregni
is the
author of the New York Times bestseller Django: The Life and Music of a
Gypsy Legend. He’s also a guitarist struggling to play Django’s music. A
regular contributor to Vintage Guitar magazine, Dregni’s writing has
also appeared in Guitar Player and Acoustic Guitar magazines, as well as
The Utne Reader and others. He’s the author of more than a dozen obscure
books on a variety of eccentric topics. Michael Dregni lives in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his one wife, two sons, and too many
guitars.
Dregni Broadcast Link
Dregni Broadcast 2
Alain Antonietto is the
world’s pioneering historian of Jazz Tsigane. He is the author of
numerous articles on Romany music, a long-time contributor to La Revue
Etudes Tsiganes, and producer of albums collecting rare Gypsy music. He
is also the co-author of Django Reinhardt: Un géant sur son nuage and
Django Reinhardt: Rythmes futurs. He lives in Belleville, a Paris
quarter made famous by Django’s jazz melody of the same name.
Pauls
Pal's & Manoucheries
 Paul
Degville, guitar, b. Walsall (West Midlands), England, UK. Paul
started his career at the age of 11 playing rhythm guitar. From age 12
to 17, he played guitar in his father's trio at the Wheatsheaf pub in
Walsall. His father, (Fred Degville) then took over the 'Crown Inn'
Brownhills which became a famous jazz haunt. He also taught Noddy Holder
the guitar when Noddy was 15. Through the years, Paul has played
alongside Bud Freeman, Ruby Braff, and the venerable Stephane Grappelli.
In 1980, 'The Paul Degville Trio' (Degville (gtr), Roscoe Birchmore (bs)
Nick Ward (dm)) was formed, and has since been featured on BBC Radio 2,
and played all over the world, playing a varied repertoire of 1930's and
'40's standards.
His father FRED
DEGVILLE was probably the first jazz guitarist living and performing in
Walsall. .. My father was much loved and respected and should be up
there with the rest of the Walsall contingent. - Paul
<Paul Degville Trio^
In his early 20's Paul performed with such illustrious names as Stephane
Grappelli, Bud Freeman, Ruby Braff as well as countless traditional and
mainstream bands. He has been a member of the Pete Allen Jazz Band as
well as performing with the late Duncan Swift. In recent years Pauls 'Django-esque'
trio has been featured on BBC Radio 2. A virtuoso on his instrument.
Noddy Holder of Rock Group - Slade named his
son Django and learned guitar from Fred Degville in Walsall
 Ken
Sykora - influential host of
‘Guitar Club’ who was on a number of occasions voted the winner,
‘musician of the year’ by readers of the ‘Melody Maker’
Music remained an all-consuming passion for Sykora. He led own band in
the 1950s, performing with Ted Heath at the London Palladium and with
Geraldo at the old Stoll Theatre, and was voted Britain's Top Guitarist
five years running in Melody Maker's readers' polls. Music led him
into broadcasting, and involvement in the creation of a wide range of
popular radio programmes. First he presented and played on Jazz Club and
At the Jazz Band Ball. He devised, presented and performed on the Guitar
Club and Stringalong series. Other programmes with the Sykora stamp
included Those Record Years, Album Time, LP Parade, Big Band Sound, and
Radio Three's Jazz Digest. In his final years he liked nothing better
than to watch the ever-changing waters of Loch Long lap on the foreshore
opposite his house at Blairmore, and to soak up the music of Django
Reinhardt and other guitarists.
Thanks for the mention we are keen
to make sure his music and playing remain alive, it's so lovely to hear
and see him on the net. He pretty much worked with every one you
mentioned on the UK Jazz Pioneers page! Dads 1958 tune "Little
Black Dog" dad plays rhythm, Ike Issacs on lead guitar with the guitar
club band is the theme tune for the new short British Film "The
Bedfordshire Clanger" from Five Feet Films, showing at Cannes Film
Festival this year (2007). Very kind regards - Alison
Sykora - Duncan Sykora (Ken's Son) is also A Guitarist and Susan Sykora
has a career as a Chanteuse
Jack Toogood
Diz Disley
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