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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 2025).

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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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

Thursday, October 30, 2014

CD Review: Delfeayo Marsalis - The Last Southern Gentleman.

Delfeayo Marsalis (tmb); Ellis Marsalis (pno); John Clayton (bs); Marvin"Smitty" Smith.
(Review by Lance).
I cannot recall the last time, if ever, I've had a trombone led quartet disc to review - more's the pity! Delfeayo, brother of  Wynton, Branford, Jason and son of Ellis (here on piano), is a trombonist of comparable talent to his better known siblings. Very much an old school player but with a modern approach. Think of Vic Dickenson or Trummy and you can see where he's coming from. Adding a hint of Jimmy Knepper, JJ and maybe Slide Hampton brings you a little closer, then take into account the Marsalis genes and you have the complete product - a product of the New Orleans of today born in the Big Easy of yesterday. Easy it may be but it's not elevator music! No siree!  
It's romantic and, if it was played in an elevator, you and your girl would tell the operator to close his eyes or, if it was a first date you'd maybe just be dancing close although possibly not if track 9 (The Man with Two Left Feet by younger brother Jason) was playing!
Gorgeous balladry on She's Funny That Way, But Beautiful, Nancy (Surely Frank would have loved this version?), My Romance. A swingy romp (not in the elevator I hope!) on That Old Feeling and a delightful duet with dad on I Cover the Waterfront are just some of the moments to savour. The 'old man' himself comes to the fore in a trio feature in the form of If I Were a Bell; to refer to the lyric, "If I were a gate I'd be swinging" - Ellis is a gate!
On drums "Smitty" is always on the ball and never more so than on the up-tempo Speak Low. John Clayton is, well, simply, John Clayton - need one say more?
As well as the music, Delfeayo's essay Southern Gentlemen which covers three CD pages is, in itself, almost as evocative as the music.
A must for trombone players, jazz lovers and lovers of jazz.
Delfeayo Marsalis' The Last Southern Gentleman is available on Troubadour Jass Records.
Lance.

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