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.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Cherry Tree Restaurant, Jesmond.

Dean Stockdale (pno); Neil Harland (bs); Keith Hill (dms).
(Review by Lance - photo courtesy of Viv Williamson).
A fairly routine day at the office type gig with a few sound hiccups re the mic and the overall balance. Nevertheless, God Bless The Child (who's got his own - mic?) got things rolling with Stockdale digging deep into his blues flavoured bag of musical tricks. Meanwhile, I was digging deep into the Chef's bag of culinary delights in the form of King Prawn & Scallop with Garlic, Chilli and Coriander, with Spiced Focaccia
Softly as in a Morning Sunrise had a nice easy lilt to it whilst All Blues simply floated. The pianist had more attempts  at  announcing  but  the  mic was in a temperamental mood which isn't a cue for a song! Wave went down  the  bossa  road  and  The Nearness of You  coincided  with  the arrival  of  my Pan  Fried  Chicken Supreme with Butterbeans, Pancetta and Chorizo.
One Note Samba didn't quite cut it for me. The drums tended to be a little too prominent and the piano not prominent enough plus an unusual take on the middle eight. This was probably due to my position in a corner seat getting a distorted sound picture - memo to be sat in my usual seat diagonally opposite under the stairs. 
Bye Bye Blackbird, hello Pan Perdu, Red Wins and Poached Pear. This Can't Be Love - you better believe it! One spoonful and I was  entrapped.
Despite the problems it was a good set that seemed to be appreciated by a fair smattering of folk on both floors.
Lance.

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