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.

Wednesday, June 04, 2014

Henry’s Swing Club @ The Brandling Villa, South Gosforth. June 3

The house band set the standard – Need Your Love So Bad, My Babe, Hideaway – then stepped aside to allow the queue of musicians a chance to get up but not before belting out I Saw Her Standing There. The Black River Band threw their hat in the ring with a three-song set including The Sky Is Crying. Folk guitarist Bob Hewitt played quietly, a quiet take on Moon River being an unusual choice at a blues jam!
The star attraction at this monthly gathering is Mick Cantwell. The best blues voice this side of the Atlantic, get to hear him sing Every Day I Have the Blues, The Thrill is Gone and more and you will return to hear him again…and again and again. He blows a mean tenor sax too!
A scratch band featuring Cantwell and a big-voiced vocalist from north of the border hit the place for six, taking no prisoners on Free’s Walk in My Shadow and The Stealer. The long-established band Right to Silence closed the show with a show-stopping Tainted Love. This month’s session was far from a blues purist’s night out but it was a night out and a damn good one at that!       
Russell.

3 comments :

Patti Durham (on F/b) said...

Sounds like a fab night - should have put my walking shoes on for the stroll down Matthew Bank to the Brandling Villa!

Ian Douglas (on F/b) said...

Jamie, would the big voiced vocalist from north of the border be you?

Jamie Douglas (on F/b) said...

Yes that would be me Ian Douglas, with Dave Burn on guitar and John Morgan on bass, plus I asked Mick to play some sax for us. Was a good night with a bit of a scratch band and went down well !

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