James Birkett (guitar) & Bradley Johnston (guitar)
(Review by Russell)
Another monthly lunchtime gig at
the Lit & Phil. In no time all seats were taken with extra chairs hurriedly
set-out to meet demand. It was a special occasion – it being the low key launch
of James Birkett and Bradley Johnston’s CD Together.
A partnership of equals – Birkett the vastly experienced musician, Johnston the
supremely talented young musician making his way in the music world.
Ten tunes in the one hour
programme and near enough as many guitarists. Birkett and
Messrs Birkett and Johnston can
play anything, the most difficult of tunes, nothing is beyond them. Yet the
idea of combing Rollins’ Oleo and
Bird’s Anthropology did put them to
the test (no safety net). It was high wire stuff and they didn’t fall off.
Simply amazing! Nuages is seemingly a fixture in the duo’s set. If BJ has learned
one thing from JB (there must be many things), it is to take his time on such a
tune, the volume levels carefully set (this is a noticeable feature in
Johnston’s regular participation in the Jazz Café’s superb jam sessions).
As if the guitar duo hadn’t
dazzled the crowd, they went out on Chick Corea’s Spain Johnston . Two great
guitarists, one great gig. They’re gigging regularly across the north east.
Catch them soon. Check Bebop Spoken Here soon
for a review of James Birkett and Bradley Johnston’s CD Together.
Russell.
The next concert in the lunchtime series is on Friday 24 April at one
o’clock featuring Paul Edis (piano) and Graham Hardy (trumpet and flugelhorn).
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