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

18395 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 259 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 30 ), 69

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

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.

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Mo Scott @ Hoochie Coochie

Mo Scott (vcl); Neil Harland (bs); Gary Dunn (gtr); Paul Smith (dms).
(Review by Lance).
With Mo, what you see is what you get - or  is it? Maybe you get a lot more. It's not just the singing which is as good as, and often even better than, you expect. The thing that hits me with Mo is that she so obviously loves what she is doing. Offer her a million to make a hit record and I suspect she'd turn it down if it didn't begin with some repeated reference to "Wakin' up this mornin'".. I jest as Mo has long moved on from the stereotyped blues openers.
Tonight we had a couple of typical Mo sets that delighted the audience at this very well attended gig. Songs included Hound Dog, Never Make your Move Too Soon, Fever, Unchain My Heart, Stop The World, Love Me Like a Man, Rock Me Baby, a Randy Newman number and the inevitable Route 66.
With a voice like a rusty diamond Mo weaves her magic around each blues drenched number and when she's not singing she moves in perfect time to the soloists. Gary Dunn took us to a crossroads in Georgia via Chicago and Detroit but didn't sell his soul when he got there. Neil Harland, the original Daddy Cool, remained as laid back as ever whilst, on drums, Paul Smith showed how it should be done with some volcanic eruptions.
Blues singers aren't supposed to be happy but Mo can turn the most heart rending my man done gone song into an ode to joy!
Lance.
PS: Sorry Mo but everytime I got you in my sights you turnrd away. Still I'm sure the folks will love your black hair.

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