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.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Singers Night - Sheer Delight - Splinter @ The Bridge, Newcastle. Sunday May 22.

...and you thought the previous session by these four was good? Tonight they raised the bar a notch or two! Each girl is totally different but as all have an ability to engage the audience there were no winners or losers.
Zoe Gilby: Travellin' Blues, Way Down in the Hole, In the Warm Room, Waters of March. Letting Zoe open the show is is in effect saying "Follow that!" In particular her opening blues was a mega performance that got the evening off to loud applause.
Claire Kelly: Rhode Island is Famous For You, Mr Ugly, Let's Slip Away, At Long Last Love. Claire picked up the gauntlet unhesitatingly. She's taken Giant Steps since I first heard her at the Jazz Café - not least in stage presence. Gowned, as was Zoe, Claire looked good and sounded good - her version of Rhode Island was brilliant and it isn't an easy song to sing. I recall hearing Blossom Dearie do it on YouTube. Same relaxed feel to it.
Lindsay Hannon: Nature Boy, Blue Motel, Why Try to Change me Now?, But Beautiful. Vocal coach Lindsay disproves the old theory that those who can do and those who can't teach! Joni Mitchell's Blue Motel came across as a poignant lament whilst Why Try to Change me Now? was laid back yet with an infectious lilt to it. Fashion-wise Lindsay opted for minimilism.
Ruth Lambert: If You Don't Go, Love Me Like a Man, Wild is the Wind, Good Bait. Ruth began low key - almost as casual as the jeans she wore - building up to an awesome finale on Good Bait. Tremendous performance. Ruth, incidentally, can be heard again tonight (Monday May 23) at The Cherry Tree Restaurant, Jesmond.
It goes without saying that the rhythm section of Stu Collingwood (pno); Andy Champion (bs); Richard Brown (dms) gave the singers superb backing as well as soloing well in their own right. Suggestion for next time - and there surely must be a next time - a four girl finale say Four Brothers a la Man Tran re-titled Four Sisters?
Photos.
Lance.
PS: Marianne Faithfull is going to have it all to do at The Sage tonight!

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