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.

Friday, November 28, 2014

SSBB/Jamie Toms @ The Millstone November 27

SSBB - Michael Lamb , Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey, Chris Gray (tpts); Sarah Boult, David Holman, John Lord, Mark Ferris, Keiran Parnaby (perm any 4 from 5) (tmbs); Keith Robinson, Steve Summers (alt); Jamie Toms, Paul Gowland (ten); Laurie Rangecroft (bar); Graham Don (pno); Michael Whent (bs); Pawel Jedrejewski (gtr); Dave McKeague (dms); Lindsay Hannon, Guy Swinton (vcls).
Jamie Toms Quintet - Toms (ten); ?(bs); Pawel Jedrejewski (gtr); Dave McKeague (dms); ? (keys).
(Review by Lance).
No, I haven't got it wrong! Tonight, Guy Swinton vacated the drums for the male vocal chair and handed over the announcing to Pete Tanton. Both performed well in their new roles!
A good mixed program varying from the familiar to the first time - test your sight reading chaps - pieces. Drummer McKeague played the first set without the drum pad and still managed to swing the band - maybe that's why!
Without mics, at times the sax soloists were struggling to be heard over the ensembles but eventually a balance was found. Lindsay sang from the tried and tested and sang well  and not only is Guy Swinton a better drummer than Ringo, he's also a better singer!
As befits Thanksgiving Day, American trumpeter Tanton was in top form both soloing and announcing. Leader Lamb also blistered.
The big band set was followed by a set from Jamie Toms that, for some reason, wasn't announced so that by the time they kicked off most of the uninformed audience had left!
I too had a bus to catch but what I heard sounded good.
Lance.

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