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.

Friday, January 22, 2016

CD Review: Allison Au - Forest Groove.

Allison Au (alt); Todd Pentney (pno/keys/B3); John Maharaj (bs); Fabio Ragnelli (dms); Felicity Williams (vcl - 3 tracks).
(Review by Lance).
Apart from Oscar Peterson, I've never thought of Canada as anything other than a poor relation of the USA in jazz terms - a big brother in many other ways I hasten to add! However, back in 2014 I heard the Allison Au Quartet's first album The Sky Was Pale Blue Then Grey  and I was impressed. That impressiveness remains with this new album.

Canada has found a new jazz ambassador - I'm sure Oscar would  agree even though,or possibly because, she played a different instrument!
What is sure is that, irrespective of sexism - or should it be saxism? Allison indicates that the bar has been raised from that superb first album. 
Original compositions, drawn from a myriad of genres - Latin, ballad, swing, rock (ish) - the girl (there I've said it!) proves to be not only a superb jazz sax player but also a composer of considerable merit, Imagine hearing Paul Desmond today - inventive, exploratory, but not aiming for Planet X, just maybe Jupiter or Mars. You've got the picture.
Add the rhythm section and maybe Allison has Saturn within reach - next stop Uranus!
The band tour Canada during Feb/March with a couple of gigs down in LA and another cross border trip to Portland Oregon (Say hello to Becky Kilgore for me!)
Lance
Book me on a flight to Toronto!
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