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.

Saturday, August 08, 2015

Lambert and Williams @ The Vermont Hotel. August 7

Ruth Lambert (vocals) & Mark Williams (guitar)
(Review by Russell)
The wedding party probably couldn’t believe their luck in having such high quality musical entertainment laid on for the occasion. A nice touch by the hotel’s manager, clearly someone with impeccable taste, eager to make the day for the newly weds.
The bride looked radiant. ‘Radiant’ is the word, isn’t it? All brides are described as being ‘radiant’, ‘happy’, blah, blah. Of course the music – courtesy of Ruth Lambert and Mark Williams – just happened to be a regular gig in the Redwood Bar, but, hey, don’t tell the newlyweds!
Hopefully the nuptials went without a hitch and all arrived on time. The early Friday evening jazz booking had, without publicity, been brought forward to a late afternoon start – half past four. Consequently your correspondent arrived at the church, sorry, hotel, a tad late. Vocalist Ruth Lambert was half way through singing three hundred plus tunes (slight exaggeration) with accompanist Mark Williams. God Bless the Child, Here’s That Rainy Day, seemingly effortless, accomplished artistry the secret. All of Me swung with Mark Williams in Joe Pass mode juggling bass line, chords and inventive soloing. He did the same thing on What Is This Thing Called Love? (the newly weds weren’t listening). A gig beckoned elsewhere as Lambert warned of Stormy Weather; the forecast inaccurate, the singing just fine.    
Russell.

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