Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 2026)

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Omar @ Hoochie Coochie - May 11

Omar (vocal/keys); Lennex Cameron (vocal/keys); Hawi Gondwe (guitar); Darren Abraham (drums); ? (bass guitar); Samia (vocals).
(Review by Lance)
Back in the day, they were Stomping at the Savoy, Jumping at the Woodside or Rockin' thru the Rye. Last night, at Hoochie. they were doing all of those things and more within the square metre of space those fans on the dancefloor had managed to claim territorial rights to.
Hoochie's heavin', nobody's leavin'
Hot-legs and Hot-shots
Hindus and  Heathens
Highfliers and Hoi Polloi 
Here to hear the Real McCoy -
Omar!
It was a blast right from the off. Don't ask me to name all the songs - I didn't know them but the audience did. A cheer of recognition went up with each intro. Titles I did grasp (more or less) were: Party Tonight; Everybody Loves the Sunshine;  A Life With You; There's Nothing Like This; Stop War, Make Love...
There were many more all belted out to the delight of everyone, myself included. Omar, who's an MBE no less, has a good voice and great stage presence and he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. The band was top-notch too. Sizzling guitar,  groove-making bass (didn't catch his name, I think he'd only just joined the band although it didn't show), hit-em-where-it-hurts drums and keyboard capers from Cameron who also vocalised. In the warm-up, he blew some flute although I don't think he used it on the gig proper. More vocals - both backing and solo - from Omar's sister, Samia didn't do any harm, just the opposite in fact.
Like every gig I've been to at HC this was a hoot, a night to party and have fun.
Lance.
PS: My apologies to Julija Jacenaite for missing her gig/album launch at the Pro Bar- I hadn't realised until the last minute that the two gigs clashed. Catch you soon JJ.

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