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

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. 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).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Monday, April 06, 2009

Unsung Heroes

In an earlier post I pointed out that Bud Shank played flute on "California Dreaming" by the Mamas and the Papas. This led me to ponder upon other Pop/Jazz combinations.
Phil Woods, I know, blew the great alto solo on Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are" and Ronnie Scott did the tenor work on The Beatles' "Lady Madonna". Harry Edison stamped his identity on stuff by Ella and Frank and Eddie Lang played guitar on a lot of Bing Crosby sides; any other unsung, more recent, heroes?
Lance.

6 comments :

Roly said...

Nearly but not quite!
Buddy Holly recorded 'True Love Ways' with a very nice tenor solo. I always wondered if it might have been Getz. Just looked on Google and it was either Boomie Richman or Sam Taylor - both top session men. Al Caiola on gtr too.
You can hear the song on YouTube.
Roly

Roly said...

Barney Kessell played on many pop recordings apparently - The Beach Boys, Phil Spector, Monkees etc. He was one of the famous 'Wrecking Crew' - a team of session guys on call for studio 'pop' session work.
See - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wrecking_Crew_(music)
George Barnes did a lot of that in his day too.

Roly

Lance said...

...And who could forget Barney's intro to Julie's "Cry Me A River"?
Then again, Bert Weedon did his fair share of anonymous backing in this country - do we class Bert as a jazzman?

shepherdlass said...

Lance:
I elieve the late great Dick Morrissey played the baritone sax solo on Lou reed's "Walk On The Wild Side"

regards from Dave The Rave

russell said...

Hi Lance

Geordie hero Sting employed the talents of Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland and others on at least one album and I remember seeing them with Mr.Sumner at Newcastle City Hall.

In the world of the Silver Screen I'm sure Plas Johnson played the well known sax part on the theme tune to Blake Edwards' film '' The Pink Panther '' .

Russell

Lance said...

Thanks for that info on Lou Reed's "Take A Walk On The Wild Side", Dave.
Incidentally, I'd love to have your choices for our "Discs To Die For". 5 Discs, 1 per artist, avoid duplication. Previous choices at top of right hand column on front page. "Kind of Blue" is banned!

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