After an hour or three down at the north side of the Mouth of the Tyne Festival, where I was almost burned to a frazzle by the music and by the sun, I headed up the river via various modes of transport to the Glasshouse where the glass structure ensured that the bar and the ice cream sellers did good business.
Inside Sage Two the air-conditioning was turned on and the effect was akin to having a cold shower.
Over in Sage One a George Michael tribute concert was going on. 'George' seemed to be doing good business.
Here in Sage Two, tribute was being played to the Quintette du Hot Club de France - one of the great European bands, maybe the first, to make their mark in the annals of jazz - by Emma Fisk's Hot Club du Nord.
From the opening virtuosic violin cadenza by Emma on Embraceable You the well-attended auditorium saw the temperature going up. And up and up it went through the tried and tested repertoire.
Like Grappelli, Emma can swing without losing that beautifully round and resonant tone. They don't come any better, north or south of the Seine or the Tyne.
Unlike the original hot club where Django was the only guitar soloist, here we heard super solos (and rhythm backing) from James whose feature on Night and Day took the Porter classic three times around the block and back again and a blues by Django (didn't catch the title) by David that also scored points. When the two 'Maccas' were thrashing it was a sound/sight to behold. They've also risen in the world - Jim and Dave as they once were are now (Dr.) James and David!
Bruce, as ever was right on the money slapping away authentically and throwing in the occasional solo. Add Emma's chat between numbers and the evening was complete.
It was pitch black inside so my notes became indecipherable.
However, I think the following is about right: Embraceable You; Swing 42; This Can't be Love; Blue Drag; Stardust; Swing 39; I'll See You in my Dreams; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square; Dark Eyes; Minor Swing; I'm Confessin, Night and Day + 2 or 3 more but trains and boats and planes wait for no one...Maybe I missed Sweet Georgia Brown and Nuages?
Lance
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