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.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Mo Scott Band @ Hoochie Coochie

Mo Scott (vcl); Gary Dunn (bs); Neil Harland (bs); Paul Smith (dms).
(Review by Lance).
There was a whole lot of shakin' going on both on stage and behind the bar. Hoochie was packed with a crowd drawn by the charismatic blues belter, whose voice is inversely proportionate to her diminutive frame, and the Thursday night 2 for 1 cocktail offer.
This latter attraction was a double edged sword inasmuch as it meant us non-cocktail drinkers waited a little longer as these mysterious multi-coloured potions were shaken or stirred according to preference.
As for Mo, the general consensus at our table was that she was in the best voice ever. No sound-check, no frenzied miming to the flight deck just straight down the middle blues that, by the second set had segued into rock 'n' roll.
So her program was a tried and tested one? So what? Why change a winning team? Tonight, Mo and her band were Team GB.
And what a team! Neil Harland, described by Russell as "A man for all sessions" who, on electric bass, was both seen and heard to great effect - particularly on Fever where his exchanges with guitarist Dunn intensified this vocal epidemic.
Dunn, a new name to me, had me wondering how anyone could follow Rod Sinclair with this band? The former Daintee did just that by offering contrast rather than competition to his predecessor. Relaxed and melodic in the first set he countered with some virtuoso blasts in the second. A superb player.
Smith too is superb, his drum breaks at times electrified the room and we got our kicks from his solo on Route 66.
A packed room, a busy bar and a good band - no wonder Warren was smiling!
Hoochie photos.
Lance.

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