Remi Harris

“Ninick”

(Big Bear Records BEARCD53)

Hailing from Bromyard, Herefordshire guitarist Remi Harris is something of a local hero as far as the Jazzmann is concerned. I first encountered his playing in early 2010 at a well attended pub gig at the Dukes Arms in nearby Presteigne. It was immediately obvious that Harris was a prodigious talent with technique to burn. He started out as rock guitarist with the popular local group Mars Bonfire but eventually found the format too limiting and in 2009 decided to concentrate on playing jazz.

Initially this was solely in the “gypsy jazz” style of Django Reinhardt but as Harris’ jazz career has blossomed he’s had the confidence to extend a cautious “welcome back” to his earlier pop, rock and blues influences. At twenty five Harris is now acknowledged as one of the finest gypsy jazz guitarists in the country. He’s come a long way in the last four years, giving up his job in a local music shop to become a full time professional musician. Harris has appeared at some of the country’s leading music festivals, collaborated with guitar legends John Etheridge and Gary Potter and become a regular performer at Le Quecumbar, London’s home of gypsy jazz. He’s also been extended the honour of performing at the annual summer festival held at Reinhardt’s adopted home town of Samois-sur- Seine near Paris and has a celebrity admirer in the form of Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant. His is a star that continues to rise.

Harris’ core unit has always been his trio featuring the ever dependable Ben Salmon on rhythm guitar and a rotating cast of bassists, first Del Strother, then Tom Moore, and now current incumbent Mike Green. In recent months the trio has been augmented by the violin of Matt Holborn and the voice of Deborah Rose under the name of the Remi Harris Gypsy Jazz Project. 

For the last four years Harris has been selling the trio’s “Live At The Hatch” album at gigs. Featuring the mark one line up of Harris, Salmon and Strother the album was recorded live in front of an audience at Salmon’s Hatch Recording Studio in rural Worcestershire. It’s a good document of the trio at that time and still stands up well but in truth a follow up was long overdue. This has now appeared in the form of “Ninick”, a more lavishly packaged set which appears on the Birmingham based Big Bear label owned by former Black Sabbath manager Jim Simpson. It’s a tribute to how far Harris has come that the album includes liner notes by the celebrated musician and critic Dave Gelly (of The Observer) and features a guest appearance by that great multi reeds player Alan Barnes. However Harris also stays true to his roots with the trio still at the heart of the proceedings. The album was recorded to a high standard over two sessions at The Hatch with both Green and Moore making appearances on double bass. Trumpeter Ben Cummins also appears on two pieces, more on that shortly. 

Significantly “Ninick” also marks the emergence of Harris as a composer with three original pieces included within the twelve track programme. One of these is the opening track “Perrin”, a fast moving piece that draws on both the gypsy jazz and bebop traditions. Harris’ nimble guitar picking is naturally to the fore and he’s matched by Cummins’ equally agile trumpet lines. Typically supportive/propulsive rhythm comes courtesy of Salmon and Moore. 

“Joseph Joseph” is a Reinhardt favourite that has been a staple of the trio’s live performances. The album version includes a barnstorming Harris solo that is answered by Barnes’ mercurial work on clarinet. There’s also some terrific rhythmic interplay between the members of the core trio with the experienced Green taking over on bass. One of the most in demand musicians on the Midlands jazz scene he appears on ten of the tracks on the album.

I’ve Done My Bit” is a persuasive Harris original written in the gypsy jazz style. Indeed it’s so convincing that the casual listener might mistake it for a Django Reinhardt original. Taken at a pace best described as “brisk medium” it’s the first piece we hear played solely in the trio format and offers a good glimpse of Harris’ relaxed virtuosity. The tune is a dedication to his late grandmother.

The following “Montagne Sainte-Genevieve” genuinely does come from the pen of the master, Django Reinhardt. It’s another demonstration of Harris’ awesome technical ability. A word too for the rhythm playing of Ben Salmon, he fulfils the “Dave Kelbie role”  to perfection with his immaculate time keeping, at home whatever the tempo.

Harris’ background in rock and pop is reflected by his love of The Beatles. “Lady Madonna” has been a popular addition to the trio’s live shows with its familiar melody and driving rhythms. Adapted to the gypsy jazz style the recorded version includes vivacious soloing from Harris and sees the temporary return of Moore on double bass.

The title track is Harris’ dedication to his late mother, the French born Annick, better known as “Ninick”. It’s another Django-esque original that draws its inspiration from Reinhardt’s more reflective style.

George Benson’s “The Man From Toledo” features the burly sound of Barnes’ baritone sax. The reed man is an inventive and agile soloist on the big horn and features alongside Harris’ guitar, the leader calling on both his blues and gypsy jazz influences. There’s also a cameo for the excellent Green on double bass.

The Benson piece slides almost immediately into the standard “I’ll See You In My Dreams”, a jaunty trio outing that is the vehicle for yet more virtuoso playing from the supremely skilled Harris.

A slowed down version of Harold Arlen’s “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” represents the album’s only true ballad.
Harris has introduced a greater degree of light and shade into his playing over the course of the last few years and this delightful interpretation is the perfect encapsulation of this.

Trumpeter Cummins returns for a joyous, stop start romp through Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee”, the bop classic representing a vehicle for some truly dazzling playing all round.

Barnes gets to try out another horn by contributing breezy alto sax to a relaxed but swinging reading of the standard “There’ll Never Be Another You”. Barnes’ fluency is matched by Harris’ pyrotechnics with Salmon and Green providing sterling support as ever.

Finally comes an increasingly rampant “Django’s Tiger”, one of only two Reinhardt pieces on the album and a final reminder of Harris’ considerable chops. But these days Harris’ music is about more than sheer technique, as Gelly has observed the young guitarist is to be admired for bringing fresh influences to the gypsy jazz repertoire. It has been suggested that pop and rock may be followed by world music elements and even classical forms as Harris’ music continues to evolve.

In the meantime “Ninick” represents a timely updating of the Remi Harris story, a good snapshot of where he is now and an excellent souvenir of his increasingly impressive live shows. And live is the best way to catch Harris, it’s only when you see this guy’s incredible fretboard work up close that you appreciate just how good he really is. Nevertheless “Ninick” is a convincing piece of work in its own right and a recording that deserves to bring Remi Harris even more public attention.

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