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, March 14, 2013

Grace Ellen Quintet @ The Star, Newcastle. March 13, 2013

Grace Ellen (vcl); Katy Trigger (bs); Matt Spence (gtr); Dan Smith (alt); John Allen (dms). + Lindsay Hannon (vcl); Sarah Travena (alt);? guitar.
(Review by Lance.)
Ms Allen ran through a tried and tested program of familiar material - in some cases almost direct covers - including Dance me to the End of Love (Madeleine Peyroux), Over The Rainbow (Eva Cassidy); How High the Moon (Ella); Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (Annie Lennox); Fever, Black Coffee, I Love Being Here With You (Peggy Lee); I Can't give You Anything But Love (Rose Murphy) and Summertime (everybody!)
It's a good, young band with lots of potential. Katy Trigger continues to impress on bass whilst alto and guitar also soloed well albeit for rarely more than a full chorus. Drummer Allen didn't solo but kept the band on track and handled the frequent changes of tempo (intentional I hasten to add) with ease. The leader sang well and it was a good set.
For the jam session, Lindsay sang a couple with Sarah Travena on alto, a guitarist whose name I failed to catch along with Katy and Allen. Another good set.
Lance.
PS: Apologies to Katy for missing her off the photo!

No comments :

Blog Archive