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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Bradley Johnston Trio @ The Cherry Tree.

Bradley Johnston (gtr); Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs).
(Review by Lance.)
I think it was probably Nat Cole in his pre-coronation days who first brought the piano/bass/guitar trio to prominence - later Oscar Peterson built upon it and, more recently, in the north-east Dean Stockdale has worked that side of the street.
Tonight at the Cherry Tree, Messrs Johnston, Gilligan and Grainger gave us their take.
Because of the neo non-jazz setting, the tempos didn't exceed the speed of light and the volume didn't drown out the percussive accompaniment of knife and fork against plate (or indeed the sound of plates against floor!)
Blasé?
No way!
It was a delight to hear these three guys, who, at other venues, can knock seven shades out of any standard, playing reflectively, exploratively, adding to the ambiance of this evening of musical manna.
Doxy - as good a tune as Rollins ever wrote - converted the Poached Chicken and Leek Terrine with Chutney into an aphrodisiacal starter even though I had no Doxy to aphrodisiac with!
Loverman, even with the plates falling, failed to detract from the magic,
Some may call this "Cocktail Music" - if that's the case, make mine a large Old Fashioned to go with my North Sea Fishcake, Tartar, Fries, Garden Salad, Lemon and In a Mellow Tone,
'Round Midnight - Spiced Yellow Plums, Pan Perdu, White Chocolate Ice Cream and Skylark
Have I gone to Heaven or will I wake up and find I'm in Hebburn and eating a less ethereal Ambrosia?
A reasonable crowd but only a couple of jazz heads noted.
Tasteful describes every aspect of the evening....
Lance,

1 comment :

Bill Harper said...

good to see that the gig still exists many thanks to Peter and best of luck to the guys!!

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