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.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Crescent Club. March 26

Fred Rowe (trumpet & vocals), Barry Soulsby (clarinet & vocals), Lawrence McBriarty (trombone), Dave Rae (banjo), Bill Colledge (bass) & Fred Thompson (drums & vocals) + Theresa Armstrong (vocals), Derek Fleck (clarinet)
(Review by Russell)
Trumpeter Fred Rowe apologised for the absence of Brian Bennett, informing the crowd that their bandleader was in Moscow negotiating with President Putin over the threatened use of  banjos in the Crimea.
When the cat’s away…these cats played, feeling Black and Blue (Fred Thompson, vocals, Barry Soulsby, clarinet). Fred Rowe sang about a Glad Rag Doll and Thompson told us: I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody Like I’m Loving You (snappy title). Back in Your Own Back Yard rattled along and hot jazz topped the menu in China Town (Dave Rae, banjo, Maitre D).

The interval found Bill Colledge telling a thousand stories of a life in jazz (note to BSH editor – Mr Colledge should be encouraged to put pen to paper), raffle prizes went elsewhere and another pint of Consett Brewery’s Steel Town went down a treat (especially at a bargain £2.70,). At the bar one of the regulars was heard saying to the barmaid: Put it on Mr Bennett’s tab. When the cat’s away…
Second set, drummer Thompson took us to the Darktown Strutters’ Ball, the frontline having a grand old time. Soulsby sang Button Up Your Overcoat, Thompson Old Rocking Chair (Soulsby, top clarinet). Derek Fleck joined the party (he too having taken advantage of Mr Bennett’s bar tab), accompanying Theresa Armstrong on Red Sails in the Sunset. The clarinets of Soulsby and Fleck took us out on The Weary Blues, Fred Rowe protesting: I’m sick and tired of this one!                    

Russell.    

No comments :

Blog Archive