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

18395 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 259 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 30 ), 69

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

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.

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

River City Jazzmen @ The Swan, Choppington

Gordon Solomon (tmb), Jim McBriarty (sax/clt), Keith Stephen (gtr), Bill Brooks (bs0, Fred Thompson (dms).
The R.C. always do this monthly venue as a trumpetless 5 piece. Sadly, last night, the pull of the Champions League was greater up here than it was in Heaton according to Lance's report from The Chilli. I think band and audience played a score draw fives each. (No, the audience clinched it in extra time after a penalty shoot out.)
Jim McBriaty seems to be the regular clarinet player now. He also did some superb work on his new dark blue soprano sax.
They played one number that Gordon did not know. Keith shouted the chords out for him (from memory) as they played. By the end of the tune that was another fine one for the pad.
Fred sang a few requests and I won a bottle of wine in the raffle.
Altogether a nice night out. Solly (Gordon Solomon), informed me that the line up was the one he is bringing to Ashington on the 8th of July, with the addition of Ray Harley on trumpet.
The River City have several gigs with Ray around the start of July including the Whitley Bay Jazz Festival and the Mouth of the Tyne Festival. Its always worth looking out for the programme for the "Mouth". Usually 3 jazz bands on the Saturday and 3 on the Sunday on Tynemouth High Street.
Watch this space for details.
John T.

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