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.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Zoe Gilby Trio - Jazz Café Saturday Feb 8.

Zoe Gilby (Vocal) Andy Champion (D. Bass)  Mark Williams (Guitar)
(Review by Kath Jobes).
Saturday night and I’m in a dilemma… which café to go to… Pink Lane Jazz Café or Salsa Café and Tapas Bar, both had good gigs going on, but we opted for Pink Lane and Zoe Gilby, as my mate Kathryn hadn’t heard her sing before… and boy can Zoe sing!
The café was well attended, with a growing audience of jazz appreciation and a few of the Jazz regulars in the audience.  Tonight was to be a mix of Jazz Standards with a few originals thrown in for good measure… and what a lovely evening of music and memories. 
Is It Me? Told a tale of angst and woe at things that go wrong in everyday life and as ever Zoe’s superb diction and phrasing left the audience in no doubt that this evening would be one of superb Jazz.  Zoe, accompanied by her talented and adoring husband on Bass and the skilful Mark Williams on Guitar went on to sing A song for you. A trip down memory lane for me with the standard Deep Purple, I remember Donny and Marie Osmond singing this years ago… yes Donny was a heart throb in my youth.   A lovely soft ballad followed in the form of How Insensitive… it’s a tune I know well but have rarely heard sung, beautiful lyrics…. One for my repertoire I think. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To led on to another original, the song written by Zoe about her Mother’s earlier life and featured on her recent CD, Twelve Stories… it is of course Red Headed Girl. Beginning To See The Light/When Lights Are Low and Some Cats Know rounded off the set ‘purrrfectly’.
The second set commenced with Nice Work If You Can Get It, this trio certainly know how to portray tunes in their own unique way, I love the combination of guitar and bass, they seem to complement each other perfectly.  Another original tune written by Andy when his daughter was born and later Zoe put words to the lovely tune, Eleanor.  Next we were asked to Find A Secret, and I think the secret ingredient here were the fabulous fingers of Mark and Andy who certainly shone brightly like the stars they are this evening and then Zoe went on to sing, You Turned The Tables On Me.  A haunting and lovely tale of The Midnight Bell, led on to a bit of That Old Black Magic, and then the guys were In It Together, telling a tale of love before finally heading off to The Red City for the honeymoon… same as Zoe and Andy did 3 years ago… and you can see the light in their eyes as they remember a lovely time… and indeed I shall remember this evening as a lovely time too.
Kath J.

No comments :

Blog Archive