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, November 04, 2009

The Primacy of the Ear...Part 3

The grand success of any workshop is when seeds of new concepts are sown, to grow in a mind free to be receptive. Even more so, if the person casting them has explored their art to the extent that they can see it in its fundamental simplicity and want to show you what they know. That was what was so good (more than good) for me about this workshop with Gilad Atzmon. It was great to hear that the key to all those fabulous sound that he makes with his saxophone is so simple and clear. His opening question was to ask whether we understood consonance and dissonance. The first thought that came to my mind as he described those words, was a memory of description of an essential character of Indonesian food, the subtle interplay of salt and sweet...
Tension and resolution and evidence that we were listening and responding to each other, I think that was what he was listening for as some of us improvised, eyes closed (to escape self conciousness) with our various voices. That was the idea that I took away with me to explore, something which is subtle and captivating in any form of expression. There were other aspects of the workshop that I have to think on too, they have been described in the previous blogs, so I need say nothing more, really, except that those seeds of ideas have been sown in my mind, in this workshop, and are happily sprouting away.
Fiona.

1 comment :

Lance said...

Thank you so much Fiona, Dr. Jas and Ann. Three different aspects of what must have been a remarkable and educational afternoon. Wish I could have made it.

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