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.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

King Bee @ Hoochie Coochie. August 9.

Graham Hardy (tpt/flg); David Wilde (ten/bar/fl); Jason Holcombe (tmb); Mark Hand (keys); Chris Jelly (vbs); Steve Glendinning (gtr); Dan Brady (bs gtr); Darren Moore (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Good to be back in Hoochie and to see it packed. That I was the oldest by at least a 100 light years didn't matter once the band hit the tarmac running.
I didn't note the tunes, I just chilled out and listened. It was jazz, it was rock, it was funk, it was fusion, it was music with soul, it was the kind of music that made you want to dance. If you weren't dancing you were enjoying the waves of sound emanating from the stage. 
Sizzling solos all round. Wild tenor and bari from Wilde as well as some fragrant flute. Hardy in fiery funk mode on trumpet and flugel. Jelly gave off some great vibes and Glendinning in a rockier mood than we're accustomed to kept the temperature in the upper nineties.
Midway through the set Holcombe laid claim to the trombone that had stood alone like a wallflower at a dance. In Jason's hands, the "wallflower" became the "Belle of the Ball" and did he/it have a ball!
Keyboards, bass and drums added to the mix - apologies but I didn't catch drummers name. I did, however, catch his solo which was superb. I've since learned it was Darren Moore - Ace!
Two encores rounded off an excellent evening.
Lance.

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