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.

Sunday, April 05, 2015

Katy Trigger/ Alan Law Duo @ Jazz Cafe - Easter Saturday

Katy Trigger (bass guitar, vocals); Alan Law (keys) + Paco Rivera (percussion)
(Review by Ann Alex, Photo Mike Tilley)
Here at BSH we never sleep, not even on bank holidays, so down I went from the Jazz Co-op Workshop to the Jazz Cafe to hear this duo which turned out to be a trio – Paco had come to carry some of the gear, then decided to stay, to play a fine array of hand drums, various shakers, tubular bells and whistles.  It wouldn’t have been the same without him.
This was great entertainment, fine playing, with more than the tinge of Latin mentioned in the Jazz cafe leaflet. Quite funky, with the benefit of jazz-like solos from all three players, and some songs from Katy, including a tenderly sung Nature Boy; Sunshine Of Your Love (I think) and others which may have been originals.  The Latin influence was there from the beginning, then Alan played lyrically on Autumn Leaves, neatly followed by an up tempo number.  We had a drum solo on hand drums; Bye Bye Blackbird introduced by bird whistles, and some good speak-easy type of playing from Alan to round off the first half.
 The second half included a beautiful What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life, good solos from all three and a funkily disguised Summertime (sorry Lance, but at least it wasn’t sung!).  Alan pressed a different button on the keys to produce a sharper organ sound for the last number, then the audience demanded more and were rewarded with a South American tune, and Paco playing all the shakers and effects that he could fit in.
Ann Alex

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