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.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Pete Churchill Trio - King's Hall, Newcastle Uni.

There may be better ways to spend an hour on a Thursday afternoon but if there are, I can't think of them. This afternoon's celebration of the art of popular song by the Pete Churchill Trio - Pete Churchill (pno/vcl), Steve Berry (bs) and Eryl Roberts (dms) - was pure afternoon delight. Great standards, good vocals, punchy piano playing and entertaining descriptions of the songs, their composers and their lyricists. Pete told us how contemptuous Cole Porter was of those composers who collaborated with a lyricist unlike himself (Cole Porter) who wrote both words and music. During the hour that Pete had at his disposal we heard examples and stories of Porter, Noel Coward, Johnny Mercer, Jimmy Van Heusen, Phil Silvers (guess which tune he was associated with!) and Frank Loesser; to mention but a few.
Steve Berry and Eryl Roberts were the perfect rhythm section; also impressing with their own flights of fancy. In the words of Mr Porter, this was 'a trip to the moon on gossamer wings' yet much more than 'just one of those things'.
Perhaps the manager of Blackwells should have been there.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Hi Lance

A nice review of a nice gig and a near capacity audience too!

Russell

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