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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Mark Williams Trio.

Mark Williams (gtr), Paul Susans (bs), David Carnegie (dms).
The Sunday evening Splinter @ The Bridge gigs are tailormade for Mark Williams - just about every one so far has displayed a different side to his talents.
Remember how Sammy Davis Jnr. would sing a song and do impersonations of various other singers then, when it came to the final chorus he would say dramatically "And this is me!"
Tonight, Mark Williams did just that - metaphorically speaking that is - he is a man of few words. Tonight Mark, the real Mark Williams, unveiled his true self with a couple of sets that set The Bridge on fire.
With Paul Susans (bs) and David Carnegie (dms) Mark played imaginative originals that incorporated Paul and David as equal thirds with himself. Gentle and conventional until the set closer which was a belter. No other word for it. Close your eyes and images of a jazzified Cream may pass by as all three went for it.
The second set saw Paul move from double bass to precision (or was it a jazz?) as the trio launched off into orbit. By comparision the first set was Fenwicks' Tea room - this one was Fillmore East.
Three men in a boat jumping overboard, swimming frantically in different directions then returning each one telling his own tale of adventure. It was organised chaos that all came together beautifully when it needed to.
Mark was on top of his game but what about David Carnegie? He kicked ass and good.
Paul Susans? He can mix it with the best of them and who cares if it's in 9/8 or whatever.
Bravissimo!
On stage we marvelled at Mark's dexterity - so light-fingered as to be almost unbelievable.
Even so there was someone else even more light fingered than Mark in the audience - the person or persons unknown who nicked 3 of the table candlelights.
Another good one. Next week the Claude Werner Quartet. Don't be surprised if Mark and David are on this one too!
Lance.

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