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

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Hoochie Coochie Jazz Jam

Pete Gilligan (pno); Mark Williams (gtr); Paul Grainger (bs); Ian Forbes (dms). + Dave Parker (bs); Lindsay Hannon (vcl); Richard (tpt).
(Review by Lance.)
This was, perhaps, the best Hoochie Jam yet! Gilligan, looking as though he'd just auditioned for the part of Sky Masterson (Guys and Dolls), met Miss Jones like she'd never been met before. Have You Met Miss Jones? Pete's met her! He and Mark soared through the changes and Miss Jones didn't mind at all.
Joyspring - as a bossa? well that's nova! Still, it seemed to work although I wasn't convinced. A Pat Metheny piece followed, before Billy Taylor's I Want To Be Free. This was something else! everyone digging in Mark taking the theme to the back of beyond, Pete bringing it back for Paul and Ian to, themselves, become free! However, no sooner had we re-covered from that, than the ensemble went into Donna Lee at almost the speed of light and only slightly faster than Chris Hoy's Team GB did in the Velodrome - The Perps were perspiring and needed The Girl From Ipanema to cool them down..
During the break I enjoyed chatting to The Girl From India - sax player Sarah Travena - her of the longest legs. I'm being sexist about a saxist! Lots of lurid tales  of her recent visit.
Set two saw Lindsay Hannon at the helm and she was, even by her standards, brilliant. Take The A Train, sang Lindsay. Take it? I'm gonna buy a season ticket and I'm not even in New York! Trumpet player Richard joined her for Blue Monk and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (not Soul Bossa Nova as I first thought!) with Gilligan going into B3 mode for the Joe Zawinul opus.
Suddenly, the Mood changed to a Sentimental one as the Diva's Diva finished off with the Ellington classic.
Dave Parker took over on bass for Dolphin Dance keeping things swinging..
Quite a session with Mark, the undisputed guitar king, Ian, the Grand Old Man of North East (and beyond) drumming, Pete and Paul, both underrated by a country mile. Add Lindsay, Richard and Dave and it all fell beautifully together.
Although I left Newcastle on the 27 bus my head and my heart were in Manhattan boarding the A Train!
Lance.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

I remember Mercy Mercy - but Soul Bossa ? Ian

Lance said...

Whoops! - Senior moment! You are of course right. I will amend it.

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