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.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

CD Review: Beat Funktion - Voodooland.

(Review by Lance).
Beat Funktion are back! The swinging Swedes who caught my attention last year with Moon Town have moved location to Voodooland. It doesn't matter, the music remains the coolest hippest jazz/funk/reggae/hip- hop groove mix in Scandinavia and beyond.
Prepare to dance the night away to some jazzy modern solos from trumpet and tenor, powerhouse keyboard, guitar and, on a couple of tracks, flute, all played over pulsating, hypnotic rhythms. Alternatively, you could just sit down and pour a glass or three of  Akvavit and let the music (all composed and arranged by Daniel Lantz) and the voddie envelope you.
Beat Funktion are not only fine musicians but also musical apothecaries and medicine men - they certainly cured my arthritis (temporarily) if not my high blood pressure!
This is unlikely to be my CD of the year but it has a fair chance to be in the shake-up for the danciest one.
Damn it, I'm going to play it again!
And again!
Beat Funktion - Voodooland is available on Do Music Records.
Lance.
Karl Olandersson (tpt); Olle Thunström (ten); Johan Öijen (gtr/talkbox); Daniel Lantz (keys); Pal Johnson (bs); Jon Eriksson (dms) + Staffen Hallgren (fl); Simon Monserrat/ Folke Lantz (perc).

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