Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Sunday, December 02, 2012

New Cool Collective @ Hoochie Saturday December 1

Benjamin Herman (alto); David Rockefeller (tpt/tmb);  Roly ? (gtr); William Friede (rhodes); Leslie Lopez (bs); Joost Kroon (dms); Frank van Dok. Jos de Haas (perc.)
(Review by Lance)
Warren told me this band from The Netherlands would knock me out and it did - did it not! I wasn't alone, the crowded room of, in the main, younger folk loved it too. They were listening, dancing to jazz and probably didn't know it!
Sizzling jazz solos from the horns, guitar and Rhodes over a compelling mix of Caribbean rhythms got the show rolling.
It was non stop!
Herman blows alto like there's no tomorrow, Rockefeller is a millionaire in ideas - each one building on the one before. The band's new guitarist, Roly, didn't catch his surname, had some powerful blasts that let everyone know he was no passenger. What am I saying? In some numbers he was the driver!
Nice to see the good old Fender Rhodes given a new lease of life and William Friede not only did that but  he made everyone know that the Rhodes is still a contender.
The crowd were in hand-clapping mode by the second number and it wasn't long before the dancers gradually appeared. By the final number even I was shaking a limb or two!
Throughout, the rhythm section whipped things up to a frenzied height. Lopez cool looking and laid back, the percussionists raising the cardiac levels and Kroon's drum solo was comparable with any drum solo I've ever heard. There were also band vocals, Dizzy like chants that added to the ever increasing tension for us mortals.
I bet this band would, and no doubt have done, go down a bomb in the Amsterdam clubs Ron Ainsborough has been writing about over the past few days. CD coming up for review shortly.
The closest to tonight's band is Hannabiell and Midnight Blue who play Hoochie on New Year's Eve.
That should be quite a night too.
In the mean time, the Leeds invasion of Newcastle continues on Thursday with the Kate Peter's Septet.
Lance

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