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.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Nina Ferro @ The Spice of Life

Nina Ferro (vcl), Grant Windsor (pno), Simon Little (bs), Martyn Kaine (dms).
Difficult one to pigeonhole - a mix of jazz, soul and good old rock 'n roll. Nina has a powerful voice that brought to mind Gladys Knight - the Queen of the Pips - as she strode through a selection of originals and vintage poppers (She opened with the Everly Brothers "All I Do Is Dream".) Her own "Tossing and Turning" was most certainly a rocker with Grant Windsor in Jerry Lee rather than John Lewis mode. Nevertheless whatever we call it it was crowd pleasing stuff.
Earlier the compere(ss) whose name I missed sang a more jazz orientated mini set. "Our Day Will Come", "Nearness of You" and "Teach Me Tonight".
There was an open mic set to come but by this time the day's oppressive heat had got to me so I called it an early night.
Prior to the gig, the chap on the door, after some banter, said to me "Newcastle? West Jesmond? Hebburn?"
I said how did you work that out?"
He replied "I lived in Edinburgh!"
Later he came over and gave me some tapes (Joe Harriott, Ronnie Ross w. MJQ live. Lennie Niehaus, Stan Getz.)
I thanked him and later he gave me a VHS of Supersax.
I thanked him again.
Next came a back issue of the Canadian Jazz magazine "Coda".
More thanks. I said, "I don't even know your name."
He replied, "I haven't got one!"
Nothing wrong with southern hospitality!
Lance.
Note for Angela - not a single bar of scatting!

3 comments :

David Francis said...

A nice surprise to see Martyn Kaine on the blog Lance. He went to school in Whitley Bay but has moved on to more exotic things - like playing with Kyle Eastwood and Eric Marienthal among others. He deserves all the success. He's a very nice guy and a fantastic drummer.

Lance said...

If I'd known that David I'd have introduced myself.

Hil said...

We went to 'Spice' to see a lovely singer called Juliet Kelly. Zoe had been communicating with her on myspace.
The same nice man on the door gave Zoe some tapes. Perhaps he is just a very kind gentleman?..or maybe he thinks us Northerners need educating in the finer points of jazz...;o)

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