Yaakov Hoter of the Gypsy Jazz School, started playing the guitar at age 13, when his brother gave him a cassette of Django Reinhardt. He was amazed by his musicality, virtuosity and energy and became obsessed. It was long before the internet and searched for videos and books in various catalogs, waiting weeks for them to arrive. He ordered the video “Django Legacy” and transcription books; tried to play Django’s solos, but just could never get it to sound like him.
He decided to learn music and played with various bands in various styles. He discovered the blues, rock, fusion, jazz, Indian, Arabic and Irish music. Every few years, he learned a new style then he went on to get his bachelor’s degree in music, play in various bands and write music for theater, but his enthusiasm for playing Django’s music never faded.
He eventually decided to concentrate on his childhood dream – Django’s gypsy jazz style. It then came together quickly. He met Walter Clerici and Jon Larsen, who guided him through my first steps with the technique. Later on, he studied with Fapy Lafertin; had the privilege to jam with great Gypsy Jazz musicians like: Bireli Lagrene, Stochelo Rosenberg, Moreno and Nomy Rosenberg, absorbing as much as he could. Now, along with teaching at the Gypsy Jazz School he plays in a band called Swing De Gitanes.
As an experienced music teacher and teacher of the Gypsy Jazz guitar style, he teaches in a unique, simple, and practical way. He aims to teach an understanding of gypsy jazz music so that you will be able implement what you have learned again and again in any kind of music that you like. He stresses that he will not just give you a bunch of guitar licks; he will teach you how to deeply understand the music you play.
The Gypsy Jazz School contains a series of focused lessons that lead to each other in a progressive way. Each lesson has a video preview and short text about what the lesson is dealing with. There’s no membership required, it’s pay per lesson. Each lesson has a detailed PDF file with exercises, tablature, chord shapes and full explanation of the lesson.
For more about the Gypsy Jazz School, visit GypsyJazzSchool.com
