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.

Monday, June 30, 2014

Redemption @ Bridge Hotel (Splinter). June 28.

John Hall (ten); Jim Hall (pno); Keith Tulip (6 string bs gtr); Martin Wake (dms).
(Review by Lance/photo courtesy of Ken Drew).
This review may not be totally unbiased! I mean when a band writes a tune dedicated to yours truly, what am I going to do - slag them off? Freelance (or is it Free Lance?) was indeed written with me in mind. A very humbling experience and I've got plenty to be humble about!
Thank you guys.
Personal issues aside, this was a powerful session by a band that is continually progressing, programming a mix of originals, interspersed with a few standards (Manteca, Spain and La Fiesta), that provided the audience with two well balanced sets of Latin, jazz rock and a smattering of banter between tunes.
Redemption are a surprisingly insular band inasmuch as I've never seen any of the musicians crop up in other bands unlike many players who seem to be involved with half a dozen different bands. Perhaps Redemption earn their corn playing non jazz gigs. More power to their elbow if it enables them to give a laid back performance such as they did tonight,
Catch them if and when you can.
Lance.

2 comments :

Liz said...

plenty to be humble about?? never in this world, you fully deserve such accolades
Liz

David Gray said...

I can say for sure that jazz isn't all that these people do! Keith (my uncle, no less) also plays a lot of country/blues. I think I got that right. Either way, I can honestly say in the least biased way that this band deserves a lot more exposure. I thought their sets were marvellous and watching them would be a great experience for many of my alumnus/almuna friends.

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