Emma Fisk & James Birkett play Venuti & Lang
The names of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli are familiar to many as pioneers of string-based jazz. Less universally known are the names Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang, the Italian-American duo who played hot violin and guitar jazz in the 1920s and 30s until cut short by Lang’s untimely death in 1933. Joe Venuti has been referred to as ‘the father of jazz violin' and was a leader in the development of jazz violin techniques and style, while his musical partner Eddie Lang is widely regarded as the first jazz guitar virtuoso.
Bringing together their shared knowledge and love of early jazz styles, Emma Fisk and James Birkett present an entertaining, virtuosic and informative programme of music associated with and inspired by the first great jazz violin and guitar partnership. A typical performance includes compositions by Venuti/Lang such as Cheese & Crackers, Sunshine and Black and Blue Bottom; jazz standards of the 20s and 30s; and specially composed originals that explore the duo's soundworld.
Emma Fisk has attracted critical acclaim for her performances of Venuti’s repertoire at UK jazz festivals and was featured in the musical role of Joe Venuti with The Jazz Repertory Company at Cadogan Hall in the 2015 London Jazz Festival. James has been performing Lang’s repertoire since he was introduced to this music in the late-70s and his transcriptions of Eddie Lang's solo guitar pieces are published by IMP. However it is only now that he has realised his ambition to recreate the duo repertoire of Lang and Venuti in concert in the original duo setting with Emma.
The duo's debut at Newcastle Jazz Cafe in July 2016 featured as one of The Guardian's 'Editor's Picks' and soon after they were selected by Jazz North for their Northern Line touring programme. In March 2018 Emma & James featured in a live broadcast of BBC Radio 3's Jazz Record Requests with Alyn Shipton from Sage Gateshead and later that year Emma was nominated in the prestigious British Jazz Awards.
James and Emma's duo CD, 'Birkett & Fisk play Venuti & Lang' was released in Spring 2018 to critical acclaim.
Bringing together their shared knowledge and love of early jazz styles, Emma Fisk and James Birkett present an entertaining, virtuosic and informative programme of music associated with and inspired by the first great jazz violin and guitar partnership. A typical performance includes compositions by Venuti/Lang such as Cheese & Crackers, Sunshine and Black and Blue Bottom; jazz standards of the 20s and 30s; and specially composed originals that explore the duo's soundworld.
Emma Fisk has attracted critical acclaim for her performances of Venuti’s repertoire at UK jazz festivals and was featured in the musical role of Joe Venuti with The Jazz Repertory Company at Cadogan Hall in the 2015 London Jazz Festival. James has been performing Lang’s repertoire since he was introduced to this music in the late-70s and his transcriptions of Eddie Lang's solo guitar pieces are published by IMP. However it is only now that he has realised his ambition to recreate the duo repertoire of Lang and Venuti in concert in the original duo setting with Emma.
The duo's debut at Newcastle Jazz Cafe in July 2016 featured as one of The Guardian's 'Editor's Picks' and soon after they were selected by Jazz North for their Northern Line touring programme. In March 2018 Emma & James featured in a live broadcast of BBC Radio 3's Jazz Record Requests with Alyn Shipton from Sage Gateshead and later that year Emma was nominated in the prestigious British Jazz Awards.
James and Emma's duo CD, 'Birkett & Fisk play Venuti & Lang' was released in Spring 2018 to critical acclaim.
"Sparks never fail to fly when you put these two giants of north east music together..."
Steve Tulip, Be-Bop Spoken Here"
