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.

Wednesday, April 08, 2015

Jazz Café Jam April 7

Peter Gilligan (pno); Bradley Johnston (gtr) Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms) + David Gray (tmb); Stuart Finden (ten); Rob Bates (dms); Tom Lapworth (gtr); Francesco Falcioni (pno); Ian Forbes (dms); Don Forbes (tpt); Nick Gould (ten); Yuya Honami (dms); Mary Wrightson (vcl).
(Review by Lance).
Another fine fortnightly (musical) fry up at 'The Caff' - a mixture of Sushi, Haggis, Ravioli, Roast Beef and Stotti Cake served up by some of the best 'cookers' in town. 
Gilligan, Grainger, Johnston and Wight provided the pastry as well as a lot of spice. The not so frequently heard Beatrice (Sam Rivers) served as a starter and set a standard that was maintained yet rarely bettered throughout the evening.
One of the highlights, to call it the main course would be disrespectful to the others, was the appearance by Edinburgh tenor saxman Nick Gould. Gould glitters and blows straight down the middle - no frills and no prisoners taken. His periodic sit ins are always a delight. On June 19 he brings his own quartet JazzMain down from up there and I guarantee that those border reivers will be well received by the natives.
As I was leaving, a new talent emerged in the form of Mary Wrightson whose version of It Never Entered my Mind certainly entered my mind. Look forward to hearing more from Mary.
As is inevitable with Jam Sessions not everything worked - Solar didn't quite reach the system - but most of them did. 
Lance.
Photos.

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