Emma Fisk (violin); James Birkett, Dave Harris (guitars); Bruce Rollo (bass)
It was the kind of day where I would have been quite happy to stay at home and cuddle up to a mince pie rather than face the uncertainty of getting to the Globe and back. However, as the reward for my determination would be an afternoon of gypsy jazz by Emma Fisk's Hot Club du Nord I resisted the pull of the mince pies and set forth for 1930s' Paris conveniently transported for a couple of hours to Railway St.
Billed as the Hot Club du Nord Christmas Party the tables were festooned with clown shaped hats and Cadbury's Roses. I thought wistfully about Mr Kipling's deep filled sweet mince pies languishing at home begging to be eaten.
But, once the music started the mince pies were forgotten as Emma and co. swung into Sweet Sue, Just You. There's something about the Hot Club formula that verges on the hypnotic. The chugging rhythm draws me in and, even without a drummer, or possibly because of it, it swings.
The two guitars are rock solid, both masters of rhythm, sharing solos and, along with some bass slapping from Bruce Rollo, made me feel like dancing. I suppressed the urge although it proved too compelling for others who made the most of what little space there was available to do some struttin'.
Above it all Emma soared like an eagle - Grappelli Lives! An amazing command of her instrument. The violin is a strange beast. It either sounds great or it sounds terrible, there's no inbetween. Emma is well and truly in the former category and never more so than when playing a ballad as her take on Someone to Watch Over me proved.
Overall, the afternoon's programme was a delightful mix of gypsy jazz, standards and seasonal songs brilliantly played á la Django & Stéphane.
As I made my way homeward bound I reflected that the travel problems, the cold and the gale force winds were but a mere bagatelle after such an afternoon.
Now it's time to have a mince pie and to relax with some more of Emma and James, this time paying their respects to Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang. Lance (photos to follow).
Sweet Sue, Just You; Oriental Strut; Santa Claus is Coming to Town; Minor Swing; Exactly Like You; Someone to Watch Over me; Jingle Bell Rock; Stompin' at Decca; Coquette; Santa Baby; Stardust; It Don't Mean a Thing; White Christmas; Ultrafox; Sweet Georgia Brown; Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
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