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

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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).

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

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

CD Review: Filipe Monteiro - In Bad Company.

Filipe Monteiro (gtr); Roberto Manzin (ten/sax/clt); Sam Leak (pno); Fergus Ireland (bs); Callum Armstrong (bagpipes); Lewis Wright (dms).
(Review by Lance.)
Let me make this clear - this disc has nothing to do with the rock band Bad Company! It's far too good for that. However, I could see the name being a deterrent to the right customer and an attraction to the wrong one!
The CD is Monteiro's first album and it is an impressive début. Drawing on his memories of living in a small village nestled in the Italian Alps, moving around Europe and Canada, settling in London in 2005 and, of course, his affinity with Brazil. The all but one self-penned compositions create an aura of beauty that reflects in the music. The inclusion of bagpipes may cause a few quizzical eyebrows to be raised but the pipes are not intrusive and contribute greatly to the one track where they are featured.
As well as his compositional skills, Monteiro is no mean guitar player, displaying a wealth of ideas in solos that abound in lyricism. 
Reed-player Manzin has a prodigious technique that he utilises effectively on tenor, soprano and clarinet. On the non-original - Mingus' Duke Ellington Sound - the tenor is full and round with an almost Websterian sensuousness and guitar and tenor combine well in the ensembles. And how about that clarinet on Missing Home? About time we had some new liquorice and this is very tasty liquorice indeed! Some nice piano from Sam Leak on the Mingus piece
Leak, in fact, is a tower of strength throughout and bass and drums gel helping to make this an album to delve into time and time again.
Filipe Monteiro: In Bad Company was released earlier this year. To obtain a copy check here.
Lance.

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