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, May 23, 2013

Slowlight Quartet @ The Star Inn, Westgate Rd., Newcastle. May 22.

Tom Quilliam (ten/sop); Paul Lorraine (keys); Ian Paterson (bs); Jonathon Marriott (dms)
.
(Review by Lance/Photo by James Sebright Photography).

The opener was neither slow nor light as Quilliam set the room on fire with an aggressive almost punk-like nonstop tenor blast that started on the intro and ended on the coda. No prisoners were taken.
A switch to soprano for a more mellifluous approach - at least for a while - before building  up for the kill until Lorraine brought it back from the brink and cooled it.
I can't put names to the pieces as they were, I guess, all originals and there were no announcements but it doesn't matter. One thing is sure, they weren't describing waterfalls or sunsets.
This was contemporary and yet accessible. Almost a one man show with few bass solos or drum solos and only an occasional chorus from keyboards. This was, in truth, four guys working together and it worked!
They even committed the heretic act of not finishing each number with that meaningless exercise known as "fours"!
The second set began with an explosive cadenza from Quilliam that summoned the rest of the band back on stage for another mix of shell-blasting and paintstipping albeit with the occasional reverie slipped in amongst the shot and shell.
The music may be verging on free but the heads are arranged effectively before releasing the musicians off into the wild.
An excellent session - catch this band when you can. 
Lance.

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