Bert Niblett

Bert Niblett –
Guitarist & Luthier, 1914 -2000
Founder of Club Django Haringey 1955-2000

Bert With D-Hole Macca & his Trademark added Pick Guard.  Many of the older Members of the Club were very sad when Bert swapped his D-hole Macca for the John Le Voi Copy.  They all said it was a truly beautiful instrument with an outstanding Tone

Django’s death was the catalyst which prompted Bert to think about a way to continue his interest in the Music.  Engineer, Guitarist and maker of Selmer Maccaferri style Guitars,  Bert was founder and leader of “Club Django“.   The Club ran from 1955-2000 in North London for the enjoyment of its members.  During his lifetime Bert transcribed the Chords to over 200 Django Reinhardt compositions & swing standards, in 3-hardback Books with some transcriptions of Django Solos.  ‘The Gypsy Jazz Melody Book‘ for Violin with Guitar Chords by Bert is still available.

The Musician: The original homemade Chord Books by Bert Niblett were gradually compiled over many years, (he may have started them in the 30s) certainly before the Club began in 1955 until the 90s. Many were written out at a time when not much else was available. In the evening or at the weekend he was often found with Guitar in hand working out the Chords, or transcribing a Solo while listening intently to Hot Club recordings. Bert organised ’Club Django” which was featured in the Channel-4 Documentary “The Django Legacy” which was 1st Broadcast in January 1991.  Having written out the Chords the other players would copy them into their own hardback Books & most of the Players, apart from Bert, seemed to like to play with the security of the Chords in front of them, their books spread open on the table/desk.

When I was very small my father took me to the BBC where they were recording ‘Guitar Club’ which was Broadcast for 30-mins every Saturday evening on the ‘Home Service.‘ Bert knew Ken Sykora & Ike Isaacs, who presented & played on the Program. Bert was asked to play on the Program but declined.

Bert was born in 1914 & spent the 1st 14 years of his life living in the Welsh Mining Valleys. At the age 10 Bert had started playing Drums in a Dance-band. Apparently, he was placed out in the front of the Band as the young novelty. He told me that he used to find this terrifying, but nevertheless, he used to play about 3 nights a week, (earning as much as the poor miners did for a week) and he was often very tired at School the next day. Times became very hard when the depression years hit. He remembered children walking around with no shoes, and people could not afford to pay my Grandfather for the building work he did. So his family moved to London and about the same time my Dad acquired his 1st Guitar. However, he decided early on to earn his living as an Engineer and keep music as a hobby, as he disliked travelling around and found performing very nerve-racking.

Bert ‘n Django
22nd August: New Empress Theatre 1938, Brixton
QHCF played for a weeks Engagement.

Opened on Boxing Day, 1938, this impressive Theatre/Music Hall stood on the corner of Brighton Terrace & Bernay’s Grove, offering popular Variety Shows (& Pantomimes at Christmas). A sizeable Venue, the New Empress Theatre offered seating capacity of 1,260 with a Stage width of 60′ & a depth of 40′.  In 1909 Bioscope described the Empress as ‘one of the finest of London’s Suburban Music Halls’. Over the years, the Building would be variously described as the Empress Theatre, Empress Theatre of Varieties, Empress Music Hall & Granada Cinema. The Theatre was demolished and replaced with a housing development in 1992

Bert Niblett attended The Empress & waited Stage Door for Django & Stephane’s Autographs – Bert’s Autographed Programme is evidence of that.

29th March 1948 : Empire Theatre, Wood Green QHCF Engaged for a week.
It transpires that Louis Gallo & friend, Len Williams (father of Classical Guitar Giant, John) were set to Interview the Great Gypsy Backstage after the Hot Club’s performance at the Wood Green Empire, London in the 1940s for a Review. (Len seen here without his later beard. John is a close likeness).  Len was Editor of  the Guitar periodical Modern Guitar & later Fretted Harmony Magazine. However, as was the tendency in those days, whilst the Performers were receiving their tumultuous applause at the end of a fantastic display of virtuosity, Audience Members would start to leave the Theatre in order to ensure they caught the Bus home! Transport was very different in those Days.  Django, who was used to a level of adulation normally afforded a Prince, noticed that certain Audience members were leaving the Theatre before he had left the Stage, becoming incensed! How dare they! He was not amused & took this ‘insult’ very personally indeed.  Our two intrepid Reporters, having noticed this from their seats eagerly but nervously made their way to the Master’s Dressing Room, aware to some extent of Django’s displeasure. Len as Magazine Editor went on ahead. Django was in no mood to be Interviewed, full stop. The tantalizing piece here though is that Louis Gallo could closely see his Hero through the open Dressing Room Door, almost within touching distance, but would never meet him! A memory of lifetime Regret proportions!

Fishmongers Arms – Where Django gigged during his 1938 Tour & gave a ‘Cup’ to the Winner of a Quintet Competition perhaps Organised by Bert Niblett or Diz Disley.  Now, this would have been the then Wood Green Jazz Club at the time in the Bourne Hall behind the ‘Fishmongers’ Arms‘ – run by Viv & Art Sanders. 287 High Rd, Wood Green, London, N22 8HU now converted to a Block of Flats. 

I worked at Wood Green Jazz Club from about 1962 to 1968-ish.  I helped Viv & Art run the Club, cleaned up, picked up glasses, repaired their car & hopefully advised on Bands & helped with Bookings. I know I am a bit later than the period you are looking for but it was a Fantastic Club and allegedly the oldest ‘Hot Rhythm’ Club in the UK, with Posters Advertising appearances by Django Reinhardt & many others.– John Cox

Club Django Members used to visit the Fishmongers Arms (I remember seeing Diz Disley there one evening), but, as far as I know, the Club didn’t meet there.  He did tell me once that, after a Django Concert, he caught the bus back home from the Finsbury Park Astoria and was astonished to see the Tall, hunched figure of Django himself sitting further up the Bus (upstairs), with some others, presumably the rest of the Band.  I think that’s as far as the encounter went! – Mike

Ade Holland’s visit  – Sadly I only ever met Bert that one time at his House in Crouch End, it was during the time I was in favour with Lord (Ian) Cruickshank!  We both went to his house, a very nice chap, mild mannered & softly spoken, he had an original Selmer & let me take pictures of it (‘dont know where the guitar it is now since his demise) – did it find its way to Ken Sykora? – very likely.

I took several detailed shots of Ken’s Maccaferri Guitar, close ups of the Tailpiece, Machine Heads & side profile etc, I have them in an Album I noticed the Guitar top had been re-finished.  With regards to the bijou Pickguards,  I suspect they were on there when he bought it from Louis Gallo (who I also met on 2 or 3 occasions). 

I never made a visit to the Club Django but I remember Diz telling me about it years ago, I think it was held at the Fishmongers Arms at 1st. I never heard Bert play, except on the Django Legacy Film & never had the pleasure of meeting his daughter either.

If you find the location of the Guitar I would love to have the opportunity of buying it if it ever came up for Sale.  I only met Bert that one time but felt very privileged as he was a true Gentleman.

I remember Bert telling me he sat behind both Django & Stephane on a Bus, he said that Django was very broad and rather a big person, he also showed me a Ticket or a Programme with what he claimed was Djangos Signature, he also said he saw the Quintette in Concert & if my senility serves me properly he mentioned the Wood Green Empire …….
Ade Holland – Manoucherie & Luthier – pictured here with a very pensive Bert.

I am hazy about my Dads Selmer Mac. I have a feeling that the neck on it may have come from another Selmer Guitar, the Fingerboard may have been replaced. But I really am not sure.  Obviously the scratch-plate was an addition & the orange varnish not original. Whether my father was responsible for the finish I don’t know.  Pam

Bert discussing the chart & a line of lubricated chat with Bob White Bassist.  The Pictures of Bert with Guitar in hand are genuine Macs. He owned  the D-hole ‘Grand Bouche’ until the mid-1960s & then the Oval Hole.

Django Legacy – in French
A must for all Django style Jazz Fans. An excellent Documentary that explores the influence of Django Reinhardt.  Included are: a rare clip of Django playing.  Clips from the Paul Paviot 1958 Documentary on Django & the Gypsies. Gypsy Sites in Holland, a Paris Guitar Shop with the Ferret Bros, 9-yr-old Jimmy Rosenberg & the Gypsy Kids. The Village of Samois sur Seine where Django lived & died.  Extensive footage of Interviews with Babik Reinhardt. The 1990 Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois featuring Babik Reinhardt, Birelli Lagrene, The Stochelo Rosenberg Trio, Gary Potter from UK, Serge Krief, Boulou and Elios Ferre. The Samois cemetery where Django rests.  (Bert Niblett  Episode 4) 1990

I believe I was indirectly responsible for sparking off the Django Legacy Film.
I had linked up with another Swing Guitarist called Trevor Davies in the early-1970s.  We both played in a curious Trad Rehearsal Band which met in the back of Ray’s Bookshop in Finsbury Park, amid the dodgy Swedish Mags & a complete set of Cases of Printer’s type!  I’d been taken along by Laurence (saxes) I mentioned earlier, met Trevor & decided to take him back to Club Django, where he met Ian Cruickshank.   The 2 got together, went on numerous Field Trips to France with a movie camera to Film the Gypsy Jazz Players (1978) & tried to get a Documentary together from the Footage.  After that, I lost touch with Trevor, until I saw that Channel 4 were about to launch the famous Documentary. The Django Legacy – Mike

Great stuff on Bert’s feature on the Pioneers Pages. The rate of material input has been impressive & Bert’s daughter is appreciative. This is such an interesting chapter in the Django Legacy Story. It’s also fascinating to see the information joining up with links to Diz etc,etc. – P V Chester.