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

Thursday, October 22, 2009

LCD mindblowing @ Corner House.

Mornington Lockett (ten), Lawrence Cottle (bs.gtr), Martin Drew (dms).
My first thought when I saw the name of the band - LCD - was that this was going to be one of those "This next composition is one I wrote whilst running for the bus..." type nights.
I couldn't have been further from the truth!
I should have picked up the clue from Mornington's tee shirt - it had 'Blue Note' printed across front and rear and this was what it was - a contemporary Blue Note style blowing session.
All 3 musicians have technique to spare and woe betide anyone who crosses their path in a jam!
The last time I heard Martin Drew was at York when he was with Simon Spillett. Tonight, at Corner House, he was with another hardblowing hit 'em where it hurts tenorman in Mornington Lockett.
Apart from a couple of Pat Metheny tunes most were well known standards that provided the sax man with the perfect launching pad.
"My One and Only Love", "Autumn Leaves", "It Could Happen To You", "Yesterdays", "Donna Lee" were some of the tunes that the pianoless trio took to the cleaners and hung out to dry.
Michel Petrucciani's "My Bebop Tune" had an amazing cadenza-like intro from ML that was breathtaking. The same tune also saw some clever interplay between bass and drums.
The finale - "Just in Time" - was taken at tempo di Jenson (Button) which meant it was fast.
No prisoners and no pit stops.
Apart from ML there were some incredible happenings from Cottle. Playing a five string bass guitar he played chord patterns and intricate runs as if he were playing a fast action lead guitar. Martin Drew - is there anything left to say about Martin? The man is rock steady, he's deservedly regarded as one of the best kitmen around and tonight he didn't put a beat wrong.
A good night was had by all which wasn't as big an all as they deserved.
I'm not going to start preaching again save to ask the so-called moderns why miss an evening like this?
Having said that, the audience may have been small but it oozed quality in the form of bassists, drummers and a few saxy persons.
Lance.

2 comments :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

Yet another memorable gig at the Corner House.

Russell

Mornington Lockett said...

Thanks for the great review Lance!
Mornington

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