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

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

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.

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

Saturday, February 04, 2012

Symphonic Django @ Cadogan Hall, Chelsea. Friday Feb. 3

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra w.Martin Taylor (UK), guitar; Florin Niculescu (RO/FR), violin; Ola Kvernberg (NO), violin; Andreas Ôberg (SE), guitar; Jon Larsen (NO), guitar; Diego Imbert (FR), bass; Alexander Hanson (SE), conductor.
Cadogan Hall, I'm told, is London's newest concert hall and I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit and hear Martin Taylor playing Django's music with the Royal Philharmonic  Orchestra thanks to an eve of birthday treat.
It was wonderful! The orchestra gave a flawless performance blending easily with the soloists. Martin Taylor, as ever all things to all men, played brilliantly whilst the Romanian violinist Niculescu proved to be the perfect Grappelli-like foil.
For the second set we began with the original Hot Club line-up sans orchestre and it was great to see the orchestra sitting back, relaxing and enjoying the magic sounds. This was the whole mood of the evening really, nothing formal just pure enjoyment.
Personally, great as Martin was, I preferred the sound of the Maccafferri guitars and in particular the Swede Ôberg - this was truly an international event! -  whose sound was richer and more authentic than Taylor's.
Blue Drag, Swing 39, Manoir de Mes Réves, Nuages, Belleville just some of the numbers that we enjoyed.
At the end, the audience, myself included, whooped and holllered - we just didn't want this evening to end!
Liz.

3 comments :

Lance said...

...and a happy birthday for yesterday.

Arturo said...

Hi Liz, I thougth the same as you about this concert! I was here (in the Cadogan Hall) the same day. Do you know if this concert was recorded? I want to have it, but I live in Argentine.
Thank for your answer
Arturo

Liz said...

Hello Arturo, this concert was performed in several European cities with guest soloists. They include the great Gypsy guitarist Stochelo Rosenberg playing along with the wizardry of Florin Niculescu's violin.. a truly great performer. I do not know if it was recorded in the Cadogan Hall but as far as I know there is a DVD entitled " Symphonic Django" which features the content of what we experienced in London. Good luck in finding it
Liz

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