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, March 03, 2014

CD Review: Big Chief - It Don't Make Sense.

John Fry (saxes/vcls); Mike Jacques (gtr/mand); Adrian Paton (keys);  Tony Reeves (bs); Gary O'Toole (dms);  Tony Edwards (vcls/dms); Dave Chambers (alt); Chris Fry (tmb); + Dick Heckstall-Smith (tenor on 5 tracks); John Dillon (dms on 1 track).
(Review by Lance)
A reissue of a 1997 release by long-lived London R&B/funk band Big Chief with the added bonus of some unreleased tracks from the early 80's featuring the late Dick Heckstall-Smith.
It is good to have Heckstall-Smith once again available. In this genre there was none better and, whilst bemoaning the fact that he is only on 5 of the 14 tracks, the good news is that this disc is the forerunner of a scheduled September 2014 release of previously unheard of Big Chief tracks with DHS blowing on all tracks.
Not that this present disc should be dissed - September's a long way off! Big Chief, with or without Big Dick, was/is still a good band. Earthy vocals from John Fry or Tony Edwards keep the blues groove going with saxes Chambers and Fry providing the riffs.
A surprise choice is Mood Indigo. Jacques and John Fry are featured - it works.
Yellow Moon has a Ska/Reggae rhythm going on behind John Fry's vocal. Dave Chambers blows flute on this one and Chris Fry lays down some plunger trombone before John Fry dives in on alto.
Big Chief, the track, has DHS in full flight as does Billy Taylor's I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free.
You want to party? This is the disc for you.
Big Chief - It Don't Make Sense is available on Janus Sounds from March 10. also Amazon etc.
Lance.
PS: As a reminder here is Dick Heckstall-Smith's Guardian obituary from December 2004.
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