Whether touring around the UK, or as one of the bands picked by Jamie Cullum for his showcase at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2016, the Remi Harris Hot Club Trio wins over audiences. Much of their current tour is at or near the point of being sold out (list below). Their London date is at Crazy Coqs on 18 April. Harris himself is “an extraordinarily fluid, buoyant and versatile musician”. Feature by Denny Ilett.

Denny Ilett writes: Since Django Reinhardt’s passing in 1953, the ‘Hot Club’ scene has flourished and evolved seemingly independent of the broader jazz world. 

Rarely does it get mentioned as a musical force in the press. Rarely does it get included as an integral part of the general jazz festival circuit. Yet, it survives and it develops so that now, a new generation of Django disciples are here; establishing themselves and driving the music forward.

They have their own clubs, their own festivals, their own record labels and their own fanbase. A self-contained and self-sustaining branch of the jazz family tree.

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During Django’s own short career, which roughly spans the years 1934-1953, he was a constant musical sponge taking in whatever developments were happening in jazz during that tumultuous period. His two primary influences, Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie, bookend the birth of swing and the consolidation of bebop and Reinhardt’s playing embraced both.

The same applies to succeeding generations of Gypsy-flavoured guitarists. These days you can hear the influence of everyone from George Benson to Jimi Hendrix and, guitarist Remi Harris who tours this month with his Hot Club Trio is no exception.

Harris is an extraordinarily fluid, buoyant and versatile musician. The Hot Club Trio  is just one of his musical outlets; he can also be seen regularly touring with his Peter Green ‘homage’ where he can be heard playing just as authentically as a rock guitarist as he does as a jazz improviser. 

Remi is also about to release his third book of Gypsy jazz licks and etudes which have occupied the top of the Amazon book charts. On top of this, he is working on a new album and is gaining a large and keen following on social media where he regularly posts nuggets of Hot Club and blues-rock guitar which are helping to spread the word.

Accompanied by his regular cohorts Tom Moore (bass) and Chris Nesbitt (guitar) Harris tours throughout the UK through April in a variety of venues. 

Between April 2nd and 28th the trio will criss-cross the UK before venturing over to Portugal for one of the many annual Reinhardt-themed festivals that take place globally.

The group then reconvene for more UK dates in May and into June.

Yes, one will hear lots of Reinhardt influence with this group but, Remi is quick to point out that other flavours will be present too; especially those of Peter Green, Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix and Joe Pass. It’s how Django himself would have liked it!

Remi plays a variety of acoustic and electric guitars for the show. It’s as though the Hot Club element is merely a springboard to ultimately take us on a journey through the evolution of the guitar from its humble place as a rhythm instrument in the early jazz groups to the solo force it became from the late 40’s on.

Along the way, one can expect a heady mix of swing jazz, blues, rock n roll and world music all woven into their original compositions and new arrangements of well established material.

This may all sound like a gig that would only attract players and fans of the guitar. Granted, there will be guitarists queueing up for an earful of Remi’s dazzling technique and delivery but, that shouldn’t deter any follower of jazz and blues from taking in the show the the Harris trio offer regardless of their preferred instrumentation.

There has long been an argument that the guitar spent a large part of the 20th Century playing catch-up in comparison to the piano and horn-led innovations in jazz. However, as John Etheridge once pointed out, since the 60’s, the guitar has been so present, influential and integral to the musical landscape that horn and keys players couldn’t avoid finding themselves incorporating guitar language into their playing. 

And, as Django’s hero Louis Armstrong once said “a note’s a note in any language!”

The Remi Harris Hot Club Trio speak in a language that anyone can understand. Even those moments of blistering arpeggios, chromatic runs and mind-boggling leaps across the guitar fretboard will still sound coherent, melodic and highly musical. This may well be the secret to Remi Harris’ continuing success; a rare ability to impress the aficionado and lay-person in equal measure.

PP features are part of marketing packages

The Remi Harris Hot Club Trio Tour

Tues 2nd April – Yardbird Arts Jazz & Blues Club, Worcestershire – SOLD OUT

Fri 5th April – The Acorn, Penzance

Sat 6th April – St Austell Arts Centre

Sun 7th April – Acapela Studio, Cardiff – SELLING FAST

Fri 12th April – St Swithuns, Worcester – SOLD OUT

Sat 13th April – Woodcote Village Hall, Oxfordshire – LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Sun 14th April – The Stables, Milton Keynes – LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Thurs 18th April – Crazy Coqs, London – BOOKINGS

Fri 19th April – St Alban’s Church, Frant, Tunbridge Wells – LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Sat 20th April – Kino-Teatr, St Leonards, East Sussex

Thurs 25th April – The Courtyard, Hereford – SOLD OUT

Fri 26th April – CICCIC, Taunton

Sat 27th April – Peggy’s Skylight, Nottingham

Sun 28th April – Norwich Jazz Club

Wed 29th May – Shrivenham Jazz

Fri 31st May – The Lighthouse, Poole

Sat 1st June – Calstock Arts, Cornwall

LINKS: Remi Harris’s website