Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 17: Homer’s Lane + John Garner & John Pope @ St John’s Church, Riding Mill. 2:00-4:00pm. Free. Gabriele Heller’s audio play + Garner & Pope.
Sat 17: Martyn Roper @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. Roper’s ‘One Man Blues Band’.
Sat 17: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Alexia Gardner Trio @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). Gardner, Alan Law & Jude Murphy.

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

Friday, June 18, 2010

Review: The New Couriers - Brazilian Thoroughfare.

Martin Drew (dms), Jim Hart (vbs), Mornington Lockett (ten/sop), Steve Melling (pno), Paul Morgan (bs).
I mentioned I won a CD in the raffle at last night's Newology gig. The CD in question was Brazilian Thoroughfare by the New Couriers. Recorded live at The 606 Club back in 2008 and released on the Trio label - it is a belter!
Not surprisingly, it evokes memories of the original Couriers thanks to some Tubbs-like vibes playing from Jim Hart and Scott/Hayes tenor from Mornington Lockett.
With three of the five tunes being from the pen of Victor Feldman it is little surprise that the vibes are well featured. and Jim Hart is a worthy carrier of the torch left by Feldman and Hayes.
Lockett too is tailor-made for the role of Tubby Scott (or Ronnie Hayes). Morn. belongs to that elite group of younger British tenor men who are edging away from the peloton - I'm talking Simon Spillett, Paul Booth, Simon Allen and maybe one or two more.
On a slower number such as the slightly exotic New Delhi played on soprano ML gets into a funky groove that has  modal overtones.
On piano, Steve Melling digs deep into our innermost feelings - witness his solo on Feldman's Falling in Love. Steve contributed the title track and he featured himself and Jim Hart in an exciting piano/vibes duet.
The final track - You and the Night and the Music - is an uptempo blast in the best Jazz Couriers tradition.
Paul Morgan - another elite bass player - provided the essential foundation as well as chipping in with solid solos.
Martin Drew kicked it along mega mightily giving the soloists no other option but to swing their butts off or die.
Nobody died.
A raffle that was well worth investing in and if there ain't a raffle near you click here..
Lance.

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