Emma Fisk & James Birkett @ The Lit & Phil. October 28

Emma Fisk (violin) & James Birkett (guitar)

(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Brian Ebbatson).

Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang turned up at the Lit & Phil. The Newcastle audience turned out in force to hear them. Rarely, if ever, has the Loftus Room been so full for a Friday lunchtime jazz concert. Yes, Emma ‘Venuti’ Fisk and James ‘Lang’ Birkett performed twelve numbers written by, or associated with, Venuti and Lang and found time to play Lady be Good as an encore.

Venuti and Lang numbers (Cheese and Crackers, Black and Blue Bottom, Sunshine and Kickin’ the Cat) were placed in their 1920s’ context thanks to Emma Fisk’s informative introductions: Venuti’s fondness for a florid intro, recording dates as a duo or with their legendary Blue Four outfit. Familiar tunes peppered the one-hour programme including Dinah, I’m Confessin’ and Gershwin’s Someone to Watch Over Me. Fisk referred to the undoubted virtuosity of the pioneering masters of the music alluding to Venuti’s parallel fifths intro to Black and Blue Bottom (the duo’s first recorded sides released under their own names).      

Emma Fisk’s virtuoso playing spellbound the standing room only audience. Guitarist Dr Birkett did all the things – and more! – that the pioneering Eddie Lang committed to disc almost a century ago. This was a virtuoso duo in their element. Closing their concert with Edward Claypoole’s Raggin’ the Scale, our twenty-first century master musicians won an encore. It was never in doubt. Lady Be Good. Darn good.

Next month (November 25th) Paul Edis and Graham Hardy will be in concert. It starts at one o’clock. If you want to be sure of a seat please arrive in good time.
Russell