Tcha Limberger @ Crazy Coqs, London - Jan. 25

Tcha Limberger (violin, vocals); Dave Kelbie (guitar); Sebastien Girardot (double bass) & guest John Kelly (guitar)

In 2016 Tcha Limberger graced the stage at Sage Gateshead. On that occasion the Belgian violinist performed alongside his Budapest Gypsy Orchestra. Virtuosic, huge ovation, quite memorable. Six years on, the Manouche violinist made a flying visit to London, this time in the company of Lejazzetal's mastermind, Dave Kelbie (rhythm guitar) together with John Kelly (guitar) and bassist Sebastien Girardot. The venue? Crazy Coqs...

A first BSH visit to Crazy Coqs, a Piccadilly basement space (thirty seconds' walk from Piccadilly Underground station), what would the place be like? Walking through the door at the ground floor Zedel's Brasserie, the betting was the establishment would command West End prices. Descending the stairs, the place had the look of an Art Deco picture palace. Not one, not two, but three rooms - Bar Americain, a discreet meeting place, to its right, a vast function suite, beautifully preserved/restored, chandeliers, the works, and to its left, Crazy Coqs. 

As at the Soho Piano Bar earlier in the evening, Crazy Coqs offers table service with attendant West End prices. This evening's late set would find Tcha Limberger holding court. A multi-lingual, multi-instrumentalist, Limberger is a marquee name. In addition to being a fine rhythm guitarist, record label boss Dave Kelbie is a fixer of things, in this instance, bringing Limberger to London. Bassist Sebastien Girardot was in town, so too, John Kelly (last sighted by BSH in 2019 working with Frog and Henry at Newcastle Arts Centre). I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket, I'm Crazy 'bout My Baby, Limberger hit the ground running. Swing era violinist Stuff Smith would loom large (My Blue Heaven and Onyx Club Spree performed with élan), Limberger being a fan and all that.  

T'aint No Use, with its mesmerising cadenza, After You've Gone with Kelbie's immaculate rhythm guitar playing (three decades dedicated to the art speaks volumes), Kelly (another multi-instrumentalist) a fine guitarist, Girardot the quartet's cast iron anchor. Sitting down, standing up, sitting down (often during a single number), Limberger cast a spell over the audience, a showman and a true virtuoso. Django's rarely performed Pour Que Ma Vie Demeure, Festival 48 and more, the one set of seventy five minutes flew by, a sure sign of a great gig. And it was. Russell