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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: 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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