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

Monday, January 11, 2016

CD Review: Hannes Riepler - Wild Life

Hannes Riepler (gtr); Chris Cheek (sax): Oli Hayhurst (bs); James Maddren (dms).
(Review by Lance).
Two hipsters meet in a bar near Ronnie's. One of them is in shock. "I can't believe it man but I heard it with my own ears!"
"Heard what man?"
"A CD and, wait for it, James Maddren wasn't on drums!"
"Have you checked with A & E?"
"First thing man, he ain't there."
"Must be a crap CD then!
Slightly exaggerated I know but James does seem to turn up in many guises.
Justifiably so, as this disc demonstrates.
A drummer, a man for all seasons. Along with Olie Hayhurst, the pair provide the impetus for some beautiful playing from Chris Cheek - an American and, no, it isn't an Art Salt cover up! However, Cheek does display many of Pepper's qualities - lyricism, exploration, sound and an ability to extract everything from the material at hand.
Riepler, an Austrian now an integral part of the London scene, proves to be the perfect foil for Cheek's explorations, his own chordal machinations adding to the mix and, forever bursting forth solowise like the first cuckoo in spring.
As the blurb says "This is not fast food music" - it isn't. But, if music is indeed the food of love, I'll dine out on this for a long time.
They tour in January.
12 - Cardiff.
14 - Cambridge.
15 - London.
19 - Innsbruck
Now they've got 4 days between London and Innsbruck... nah! - just a thought...
Lance.
Hannes Riepler - Wild Life available on Jellymould from February 8.

No comments :

Blog Archive