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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

From This Moment On

March

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Take It To The Bridge - The Chilli

The curate hatched a few eggs at the Chilli tonight. One of the better ones in the first set was "Billie's Bounce" with Dave W scatting and blowing his distinctive muted horn. I've never quite worked out why he has a mike attached to the bell of the trumpet when he's blowing into another mike already? Mysterioso. Young Tom on alto and tenor rounded off the frontline and they got a good sound on most numbers although "Night in Tunisia" had a moment or two of mayhem.
The second set saw the band segue from quintet to nonet (nine) and "Beautiful Love" was as funky as it gets. Don Forbes and another trumpet player whose name I didn't catch joined Dave in the trumpet section whilst one of the lasses who played a couple of weeks ago sat in on tenor. Again I didn't catch her name but that's her on the far right of the photo. Got a good sound. David C on piano and on drums a couple of numbers later plus Daniel on guitar alongside John Pope completed the line up as Barry and Eric 'took 5'.
"My Funny Valentine" looked like lasting until next Valentine's Day as solo after solo unravelled. Not that their was anything wrong with the solos there were just too many of them for such a slow number. A better bet when there are so many on stage would be a ballad medley. That way it wouldn't be any shorter but at least there'd be a bit of variety.
Still a small quibble for a session that had its moments.

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