Maurice Ferret was one of the more active Gypsy players of the second generation after Django. He, and his accompanist Joseph Pouville played small cafes in Paris for decades. Their repertoire consisted of musette waltzes, jazz standards, pop tunes, Gypsy music, and, of course, Django compositions. First and foremost, they where entertainers who knew how catch the attention of otherwise disinterested tourists. Take note of the “tip” horn blown at the end of each song and the clothes line they used to collect their tips.

In this rendition of the classic Gypsy standard Dark Eyes, Maruice and Joseph wow the audience with the old Gypsy “four hands” technique. Joseph and Maurice play on one guitar by using the bottom strings for rhythm and the top strings for lead. What better way to keep the tip jar full?

The video archive is dedicated to Mary Honcoop. She generously shared her large collection of Gypsy videos with nearly anyone who asked. The video archive aims to continue her generosity now that she is gone.

The Video Archive is devoted surviving video of Django Reinhardt and other masters of the Gypsy jazz genre. If you enjoy these videos consider making a donation.

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