Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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

April

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Fri 24: TBC @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

CD Review: Harry Allen - For George, Cole and Duke.**

Harry Allen (ten); Ehud Asherie (pno); Nicki Parrett (bs/vcl); Chuck Redd (dms/vbs) + "Little Johnny" Rivero (Latin perc.)
(Review by Lance).
Music is an audio experience but it can also be related to the other senses. Listening to Harry Allen on this disc is, compared to the majority of discs I receive that are full of original  compositions by some kid out of college, like the advent of spring (maybe not this Spring!) That they are by long gone composers, Gershwin, Porter and Ellington, only serves to pose the question - why try to improve upon perfection?

I appreciate this is a rather ambiguous statement and some of the newer kids on the block have indeed made valuable contributions - were this charge to be heard in Newcastle Crown Court I'm sure the defence would cite Paul Edis as Exhibit A. James Birkett and Andy Champion could also be called. However, I think the prosecution case could maybe subpoena a few more!
I digress, this CD is just about as good as it gets for swinging straight down the middle no frills jazz. Allen has assimilated the contributions of the heroes of the past - Lockjaw, Arnett Cobb, Budd Johnson, Ike Quebec - the guys we used to refer to as "The Tough Tenors" - and made them his own. Give him material such as this and it's candy to a baby!
It's been awhile since Allen was in Newcastle. Long overdue I think!
Not that this is a one man show - there's another three men and a woman involved (isn't there always?) The lady in question is Nicky Parrett who not only plays fine bass - dig her solo on They All Laughed - but also (I quote) "croons sweet vocals on "In a Mellow Tone;How Long Has This Been Going On? and Mood Indigo.
Asherie is outstanding on piano and Rivero brings the Latin touch to Love For Sale; Mood Indigo and the rather beautiful Purple Gazelle from Duke's Afro-Bossa album.
Chuck Redd keeps it together on drums but when he takes off on vibes - the rarely heard Gershwin song Who Cares? being a perfect example - he flies!
Always True to You in my Fashion; Happy Reunion; Silk Stockings (Porter); I Love You Samantha; Shall We Dance; By Strauss are the other tracks and every one is Napoleon Brandy, Mahatma Gandhi - Cellophane*
Listen here.
Lance
Available April 7 on Blue Heron Records.
*: From You're the Top by Cole Porter (not on disc).
**: Please make sure the comma is inserted between George and Cole if searching online otherwise you may end up buying a Cortina with a dodgy clutch!***
*** Reference to old TV series Minder featuring George Cole.
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