Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

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

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Charles Gayle & Han Bennink @ The Lit and Phil. Nov. 18.


Charles Gayle (tenor, piano, clown shoes & cell phone) & Han Bennink (drums, skull, carpet & heating pipes) 
Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow! 

We free kings of jazz, do reign and pour upon you! 
Both Lear, both Fools - in a high energy bout of wit and wisdom, 
A searing exchange of beaten, blown and hammered banter, 
Han's the man who puts the boot in first, caught in the snare, 
Sticks flying faster than the speed of light,
He's Houdini, breaking out from the trap by raising a yogi leg,
He bites on a stick like a Jew's harp, as the jaw bridge drops,

I'm free's the message, ringing out in Morse from his skull,
His Samurai head band expands to avoid explosion and 
So crashes the cymbal of our time - ttschhhhynnngg!!
Wake up you fools!! this is no time like the present!
Charles Gayle, cheeks duly cracked, blown in rage against the storm,

Comes out for Round 2, yet sits hunched on his stool 

At the piano - black clown, white cheeks, red nose,

The patch explained, as his elbow nudges Stockhausen - clang!!
The bad tempered Klavier slams the lid on Monk's Well, You Needn't 
As he plods around the grand, in the longest clown shoes,
Shining like black Cadillac hoods, to play the part of Coltrane,
A mobile circus rings his cell phone - he takes the call, 
I told you not to call me at work - I'm a performing man!    
Then they for sudden joy did weep and I for sorrow sung, 
Such kings of jazz should play bo-peep and go the fools among. 
I asked a bloke in the Gents his thought, he said, Tonic for the soul!
(Apologies to Will Sh.... you know who!)
Photos.
George Milburn.

1 comment :

Lance said...

At last - the indisputable truth has emerged. Shakespeare DIDN'T write those plays it was George Milburn!

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