Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Thursday, March 06, 2014

CD Review: Pigfoot - 21st Century Acid Trad.

Chris Batchelor (tpt); Liam Noble (pno); Oren Marshall (tuba); Paul Clarvis (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Acid Rock, Acid Jazz and now Acid Trad!
I can hear Jelly Roll Morten claiming, as he rolls over in his grave," Acid Trad? I sure didn't invent that. I invented most of them but I don't recall inventing that one. Maybe it was that ofay cat Ropollo who went nuts." 
Two CDs in the same vein but oh so far apart. 
The previous review of the Danish band was of a respectful and innovative take on earlier jazz. This isn't.
Four musicians who's talents should have been much better employed at doing what they do best - playing modern/contemporary - rather than this attempt to put a Formula One engine into a Model T.
In fairness, the solos are okay. Removed from the context of this CD - Noble's take on Tennessee Waltz in particular would impress anywhere - but, I'm sorry, if I'd listened to this before I heard the Danish disc I may have been more sympathetic towards it. 
Doesn't bring home the bacon so I'll settle for a bottle of beer and pass on the pigfoot..
Lance

5 comments :

Unknown said...

2/3rd of the review is devoted to chastising Pigfoot for doing something original? Is this a parody?

Lance said...

To me it is. Four great musicians whose talents I felt should have been channelled in a more contemporary groove, I'll stick with the earlier classic versions. However, if this disc brings awareness of the past to the present generation of jazz listeners then I'll rethink my views.

Anonymous said...

Hey Lance, if what these musicians are playing is what you call 'modern/contemporary' and if this involves innovation and if innovation means changing things, then aren't they doing something entirely appropriate for the kind of musicians that they are? Your analogy ('putting a Formula One engine into a Model T') suggests that what they're doing is inappropriate and it does so by way of a rather conservative idea that different types of music (like different types of cars) should be kept apart. To me, this notion that forms shouldn't be mixed and that experiments shouldn't take place is really the antithesis of jazz. I think the Pigfoot album is the most exciting one I've heard for a long while and I have to say I think you've misheard it here.

Lance said...

You could be right! I've played it a few times and I must confess to softening towards it albeit I'm still not at the "most exciting album" stage yet! I still prefer Satchmo's Basin Street Blues although I'll grant you that Pigfeet have the edge on Pee Wee Hunt when it comes to Twelfth Street Rag.

Anonymous said...

Great Lance, I'm glad it's growing on you.

Blog Archive