Theatre review: Les Doigts de l'homme

Published on Wednesday 5 August 2009 11:26

Les Doigts de l'homme Bosco Theatre * * * *

BRILLIANT technique, super-fast playing and an impressive repertoire are all very well, but without the ability to really connect to an audience, none of that cuts any mustard – French or otherwise.

Fortunately, Les Doigts de l'homme (The Fingers Of Man), a four-piece gypsy jazz ensemble from Lyon, were so full of charisma and joie de vivre, they had the crowd eating out of their hands before a single note was played.

The Jazz Festival in The Bosco Theatre in George Square Gardens provided a perfect setting for the quartet to showcase their outrageous musical gymnastics to an eager and sold-out Edinburgh audience. It may have been their first time in Scotland, but it won't be their last – they're going to need a much bigger venue next time, though, once word of mouth spreads.

They emerged one at a time, greeting the audience and performing with insanely fast precision. It could easily have been a recording, if it weren't for the spontaneity of their playing. The tunes stretched and pulled, like four Slinkys careering down a staircase at exactly the same time.

Lead guitarist Olivier Kikteff introduced all of the songs with a warm, funny and definitely colourful manner. The quirky, cartoony quality of some of the music also kept a smile on the enthralled crowd's face. Occasionally, though, they would roll out a plaintive ballad, or perhaps a sombre (though no less thrilling) number.

Humour and, above all else, entertainment were the order of the day, though. Double bass player Tanguy Blum kept the foundations of the music solid, but not without adding his own slightly slapstick sense of fun to the mixture. Yannick Alcocer and Benoit Convert, both on guitar, rounded out the line-up and brought their own layers of comedy and musicianship to the party. Anyone who thinks jazz is all about deep, meaningful navel-gazing obviously hasn't heard any gypsy jazz, especially as played by this group.

Tunes and songs like Identit Nationale, Hungaria and La Doublure were classy and passionately played, while Pschitt and La Place Du Mort might well have been highlights of each of the two sets. Featuring banjo, cajon, charango and even an oud – as well as the more traditional Maccaferri-style guitars and upright bass – the music went from classic gypsy jazz to Moroccan tinged melodies, veering madly off into the worlds of The Simpsons and James Bond occasionally.

Now and again, the music took on an epic, cinematic feel. In fact, if this performance had been a film, it would have been undeniably "feel good". It would also have been the kind where the cinema audience stood to applaud, and it would definitely merit a few sequels.

Dazzling, effortless musicianship that was almost too much fun to be called jazz, from four undoubted virtuosos, gave the capacity crowd a fabulous evening they were unlikely to forget for a long time.

By the end, it was as though the spirit of Django Reinhardt was standing behind the quartet, leading the audience in their wild applause.

'I marvelled at how they played piano'

Marie Forman, 43, housewife, Liberton: "I'm not going to say they were all good looking, even though they were. I laughed because they were so funny and I marvelled at how they played. I like to play the piano, but I've no idea how they played so fast and so sweetly at the same time. I'll go and see them again anytime."

Mark Dillon, 26, nurse, Gorgie: "I really don't know if I could sum up what they did. I've heard lots of guitarists and jazz players and they've all been pretty good, but I can't say I've ever seen any that have been this much fun before. I've certainly never heard better gypsy guitarists like this. Even if you were to count Django Reinhardt."

George Ormond, 51, car salesman: "I think one of the most impressive things about this group is the way they played as a group, not as four people trying to hog the limelight. They were all brilliant in their own way, but none of them muscled in. The lead guitarist was to the front, but that's to be expected. The other thing was the amount of fun they were obviously having."