James Birkett and Emma Fisk are on a mission to
present, promote and play the music of the pioneering Italian-American duo
Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti. As our duo took to the stage, King's Hall was packed
to its (very high) rafters. The printed programme for this afternoon's concert
listed no fewer than twenty tunes. Birkett and Fisk would play a selection.
The Venuti-Lang composition, Cheese and Crackers, dating from 1927, opened the set, a set of three quarters of an hour. Violinist Emma handled the introductions and she and guitarist James did the playing and how! Two virtuoso musicians, wholly at ease, how do they do it?! An exquisite Stardust, a romping Sweet Georgia Brown (Emma saying there was no need to announce the number - she was right!), James' composition Eddie's Lament comfortably taking its place in the set list, every single note of each and every number bordering on perfection.
Emma made the case for their subjects, Messrs Venuti and Lang, placing numbers in historical context, her enthusiasm somewhat infectious. Time flew (a sure sign of a good gig), A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square brought a tear to the eye before our 21st century Venuti and Lang signed-off with a riotous Ragging the Scale. Sustained applause rang out. Marvellous. Russell
Set list: Cheese and Crackers; Stardust; Sweet Georgia Brown; Kickin' the Cat; Eddie's Lament; A Little Love a Little Kiss; Pardon Me Pretty Baby; A Nightingale Sang on Berkeley Square; Ragging the Scale.
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