Emma Fisk & James Birkett @ Ushaw Jazz Festival 2017 - August 26

Emma Fisk (violin) & James Birkett (guitar)

(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of John Cogan.)

Ushaw is at its best on a summer’s day. The house and grounds open to the public, the greenery, flowers in full bloom, what more could anyone ask? A jazz festival, that’s what! The ‘jazz lounge’, aka the Francis Thompson Room, with its numerous Chesterfields, potted plants, and bar counter groaning under the weight of sumptuous, tempting cakes, someone knew this Saturday afternoon that those leather sofas should be occupied well in advance of the one o’clock start of an eagerly awaited concert.

As one o’clock chimed across the Ushaw estate additional seating was squeezed into the Francis Thompson Room to accommodate a sold out audience there to hear Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang, aka Emma Fisk and James Birkett. Violinist Ms Fisk provided the commentary, placing in context tunes written and or played by Messrs Venuti and Lang. To the left of our virtuoso violinist, master guitarist Dr James Birkett. A potted history, tunes familiar and not so familiar, the brilliance of Fisk and Birkett shone brightly on this perfect summer’s day. Cheese and Crackers, I Can’t Give You Anything but Love, Sunshine (a Venuti-Lang composition, rec.1926), It’s Only a Paper Moon, just perfect. Kickin’ the Cat, first recorded as a quartet featuring Adrian Rollini in 1927, prompted Fisk the storyteller to share a tale or two about Venuti the practical joker. The European duo of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli entered the picture with Coquette and Nuages delighting an on-side audience. I’m Confessin’ That I Love You, Black and Blue Bottom and Gershwin’s Someone to Watch over Me, there was no let up to a winning set list.

James Birkett’s guitar playing mesmerised throughout, and his own composition, Eddie’s Lament rightfully took its place in the pad. To close, a barnstorming Lady Be Good.       

Russell.