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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 2025).

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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Swing Manouche featuring Daniel John Martin @ the Jazz Café











Daniel John Martin (vln/vcl); Mick Shoulder (gtr); Giles Strong (gtr); Paul Edis (clt); Paul Susans (bs). (Review by Lance/Photo courtesy of Mike Tilley).
The room was crowded and justifiably so although one or two kept their coats and mufflers on! These days I think that Gipsy Jazz has taken over the role once occupied by Trad Jazz in the eye of the public inasmuch as it's foot tapping and not too demanding on the ear. Mick Shoulder's Swing Manouche. which developed from his equally appealing Djangologie, took on a new dimension last night with the addition of French violinist and occasional vocalist (and whistler) Daniel John Martin.
Martin is quite unique. Unlike most hot club fiddlers he doesn't follow the Grappelli route instead he's very much his own homme. If there are any outside influences, and I say if advisedly, then perhaps it's another Frenchman - Jean-Luc Ponty.
From the opening Coquette everything gelled with le  bon monsieur spiriting the Jazz Café away from Pink Lane to the Rue du Coq in Montmartre.
Bandleader bassist turned guitarist Shoulder opened up a few eyes, impressing all with his technique and his affinity to the idiom.
On bass tonight was Paul Susans depping for Neil Harland. As always, he did the business.
Caesar Swing gave way to Martin's first vocal - It Had to be You - then Strong was featured on a bolero, the full title of which escaped me. Giles too is a player, sliding seamlessly from rhythm to solo. Edis on clarinet, as opposed to piano, although in minimalist mode was no less effective and added to the overall tonal picture as did Martin's next trick - a unison chorus of whistling and pizzicato violin!
J'Attendrai brought a shriek of delight from Patti resulting in an invite from the stage for her to sing it - an invitation she declined!
Take Zee A Train and Minor Swing concluded the first set.
There was a buzz in the air during the interval. The kind of buzz you only get when the audience knows they are witnessing something special.
Activities got underway again with I'll See You in my Dreams. Nuages began with a violin introductory cadenza of Kreisler-like virtuosity before the quintet embarked on this most loved piece of the hot club repertoire.
All of Me, another vocal, included a violin/vocal scat chorus that somehow seemed to segue into a Bach fugue!
Giles took the lead on 51 Swing before the big finale on Dark Eyes.
It had been quite a night and, if you missed out, catch them tonight at Bishop Auckland Town Hall or Queen's Hall, Hexham, on Friday night (Details in top right hand column.)
Photos.
Lance.

2 comments :

Patti said...

What a great night!! And it would have been totally spoiled for everyone if I had tried singing .....

Liz said...

this is very much like the Gypsy Jazz evenings at the Victoria Vaults , here in York. Every other Wednesday...next one is 17th Feb...

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