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.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Martha High and Speedometer @ Hoochie Coochie. Thursday Feb. 23.

Martha High (vcl); Ria Currie (vcl); Male vocal ?; Leigh Gracey (gtr/perc); Neil Penny (tpt); Matt McKay (fl/alt/bar); Simon Jarrett (ten); Richard Hindes (bs); Matt "Wildman" Wilding (congas); keyboards? Drums?
My apologies for the shambolic personnel details - the band's website isn't easy to negotiate - or maybe I'm just thick! Hopefully I'll work it all out eventually....
Nevertheless, this was a stonking gig!
It was non-stop funk but with lots of jazz flute and sax from McKay with tenor bursts from Jarrett. Great vocals from Currie and the guy whose name I couldn't find. Then, when you thought it couldn't get no higher, it got higher - literally!
Enter Martha High.
After thirty years on the road with James Brown it only took thirty seconds for Martha to capture the Hoochies and the Coochies. The temperature rose, the dance floor pulsated and everyone boogied (well nearly everyone!)
This was Gladys Knight, it was Tina Turner, it was the Vandellic Martha it was everything. The band beat out a throbbing rhythm, the horn section were as tight as it gets and the explosion when it all came together was something else.
I reckon I'll get back to normal adrenalin levels round about Easter!
Photos.
Lance.

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