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.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Jazz Café Jam Session - May 5.

Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms); Bradley Johnston (gtr) + Fi Finden (sop/vcl); Paul Gowland (alt); Stu Finden, Alexis Cairns (ten); Joe Fowler (tmb/vcl); David Gray, Priyanka (tmb); Joel Brown, Francesco Falconi (pno); Andrew Porritt, "Father" Brown, Luke Stuart-Smith (bs); Thanos (gtr); Dimi, Rob Bates, Eric Stutt (dms).
(Review by Lance.)

Back in the Crombie era, Keith's proudest boast was of the cosmopolitan nature of the clientele at the Jazz Café. Well, if the late KC is looking up from down there, he couldn't have wished for a greater international flavour than last night. Dimi from Bulgaria on drums, Italian Francesco on piano, Thanos from Greece on guitar and Pryanka, London born of Indian parents, blowing up a storm on trombone.
Pryanka slugged it out with Big Joe and David Gray on Watermelon Man and Work Song - those guys knew they'd been in a fight! Welcome to Newcastle Pryanka.
This was just one of the many high spots of another classic jam at the Caff. Joel, once again, delighted on piano - There is no Greater Love a nice gentle groove with Eric Stutt on drums, Thanos the Greek on guitar and Andrew Porritt on bass. Eric is older than the other three combined yet the combination gelled going to prove that, in jazz, age or nationality is immaterial if you can do the job - these guys can!
Dimi, was on drums for Doxy and Bye Bye Blackbird with Fiona, Stu and Paul Gowland out front blowing saxes. Bulgaria can be proud of its ambassador for jazz.
Just too much happening to mention everyone - needless to say the house quartet were up for it with I Fall in Love Too Easily outstanding. Paul Gowland's take on My One and Only Love reminded me just how good a tune this is and Paul did it no harm at all - a great version. Big Joe singing All of Me, Alexis on tenor for All the Things You Are and blowing Softly as in a Morning Sunrise with the aforementioned Joe. The highs were many the lows almost nonexistent.
Lance.

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