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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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.

Friday, March 14, 2014

The Collective @ Hoochie Coochie March 13.

Al Saxon (alt/fl); Tim Bloomer (gtr); Dominic Snaith (keys); Martyn Dixon (bs gtr); Paul Crown (dms).
(Review by Lance).
The young guns were shooting from the hip and taking no prisoners. This month's guest was the appropriately named Al Saxon although it wasn't all sax as he played some funky flute too. On sax he's a fully paid up member of the paintstrippers' union blowing some blistering alto. It was remarked that he was reminiscent of the young, now sadly departed (15 years as of tomorrow - March 15) Nigel Stanger and he did indeed have much of the fire in his belly associated with that legendary player.
The four bar exchanges between Tim and Al were quite amazing. Tim laying it down and Al picking it up.
Tim was also on form - the archetypal jazz rocker and a walking advert for his hairdresser!
On keys Dominic Snaith never fails to amaze producing some great sounds from the keyboard set up. Martyn Dixon soloed and supported solidly whilst kitman Crown drove them to the edge of the precipice.
Big thank you to Warren for providing these guys with a platform to do their thing.
Is it Funk, Fusion, Jazz Rock? Let's just call it music.
Lance.

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