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.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Steve Glendinning Trio– Salsa Café - January 25.

Steve Glendinning (gtr), Mike Clarke (bass), Mark Robertson (dms), guest appearance Ray Burns (harmonica).
(Review by Kath Jobes).
After a few weeks of absence from the Salsa Café Saturday nights, I once again ventured forth.  On arrival about 2/3rd of the tables were taken by diners, but my usual table had been kept free for me and I was soon joined by a couple of jazz enthusiast friends Oliver from Blue Jazz Voices and Elton from the Pink Lane Co-Op Jazz workshops, so it turned out to be a convivial night of Jazz and nachos.  
To start, Stevie Glendinning played a beautiful and gentle Unrequited that segued into Hermitage.  A trio of delights in the form of an upbeat All the things you are, Moonlight in Vermont and My Favourite Things, with superb solos from the lightning fast fingers of Stevie, complemented from the electric bass of Mike Clarke, who also demonstrated his skills with some intricate bass solos and the supportive and ever steady drums of the talented Mark Robertson… this really is a superb combination.  We were then taken on a lovely Midnight Voyage, and the night-time theme continued with a favourite of Stevie’s, Stella by Starlight, and the set was brought to an end with Questions and Answers.

As the evening progressed several of the Jazz stalwarts turned up and filled a few more tables before the second set commenced with a lively Four on Six.  This was followed by the gentle guitar introduction that unfolded the Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers growing into an energetic and expressive account.  An animated bossa came next in the form of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s – Triste and God Bless the Child brought the beautiful and haunting addition of a harmonica solo from Ray Burns.  A buoyant Beautiful Love led on ‘beautifully’ to a dreamy and melodic But Beautiful.

We were then treated to a lively funk tune – Big Schlepp, an animated A Foggy Day and the set ended on Pat Metheny’s Bright Size Life.  All in all a very enjoyable evening and it seems that several of the diners stayed on to listen to the Jazz… and a couple even popped over to say a heartfelt thank you to Stevie and his trio for the great music… a few more jazz converts!

Kath J.

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