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.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

CD Review: Looking Glass - Zoe Gilby

Zoe Gilby (vcl), Andy Champion (bs), Mark Williams (gtr), Noel Dennis (tpt), Richard Brown (dms)
Zoe's second CD showcases the way her voice and her approach have matured over the past couple of years. Zoe's previous disc and her early gigs showed the attractive song-stylist to be a singer of impeccable taste, an interpreter of the gasbook - one of the best jazz girls around the north-east spots. With Looking Glass the bar is raised. Forget local this is a disc that, given the exposure, can compete on the world stage .
A mix of standards Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me, Time After Time, Only Have Eyes For You, I'm Beginning To See The Light/When Lights Are Low, That Old Black Magic. Some not quite so well known pieces - Tom Waits, Leon Russell, Nancy Wilson, Leiber and Stoller - and originals by Zoe and her co-pilot Andy Champion. Oh yes - there's also BSH contributor George Milburn's Take It Easy - an esoteric piece of nonsense over an attractive tune.
Apart from Zoe's compelling vocals there is some wonderful work going on behind her from Mark Williams and Noel Dennis. Richard Brown and husband to be Andy Champion provide the perfect foundation. Andy also produced the session.
The CD is officially launched at The Cluny, Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, on Sept. 7. 8:00pm for 8:30 start.
Only one negative. Minute white printing on a light green background make the booklet difficult to read.
No problem with the music though - nice one Zoe!
Lance.
Looking Glass - Zoe Gilby. Jazz Action JA18

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

It may be esoteric nonsense to you Lance but women seem to understand it! Zoe chose the verses from a poem what I wrote. The title by the way is Take it Easy but Take it, which may illuminate the poetic sense? Hey, you can please some of the people....

Lance said...

Don't get me wrong George (assuming it is you) - perhaps nonsense was the wrong word to use - I love it I just don't understand the lyric! I had the same problem first time I heard 'MacArthur Park'.

George Milburn said...

Hey Lance, Now there was a song with more meaning than you could shake a whisk at. I'll pretentiously explain the lyric next time I see you - Oui, it was moi!

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