Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

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

Friday, March 25, 2016

CD Review: Danny Green Trio - Altered Narratives

Danny Green (pno); Justin Grinnell (bs); Julien Cantelm (dms) + (on 3 tracks) Antoine Silverman, Max Moston (vln); Chris Cardona (vla); Anja Wood (cello).
(Review by Lance,)
It's always a delight to discover a new talent although, as I've reviewed a previous album by Danny Green, perhaps new isn't quite the right word. In my defence, that was back in 2012 and you know what us reviewers of a certain age are like for remembering!
Well, I was knocked out by that album and this one doesn't hurt either! In a bygone age, the Danny Green Trio would be rated alongside Oscar Peterson and all the others downwards. With Oscar long gone, it's trios, such as this. that keep the flag flying for piano jazz. I'd love to have heard him on Marian McPartland's legendary radio show.
The three tracks with the string quartet are as fine an example get of  'Chamber Jazz' as you are likely to find on a long night's listening. They're quite beautiful and not at all schmaltzy. 
Green, who resides in San Diego, believes that music should tell a story and the titles give the listener much inspiration to bring their own take on those stories although mine disagreed with Danny's! But that's the beauty of music - the picture it creates.
Chatter From All Sides: The Merge; October Ballad; 6 A.M. Second Chance; Katabasis; Porcupine Dreams; Benji's Song; I Used to Hate the Blues; Friday at the Thursday Club; Serious Fun.
The trio are very integrated with bass and drums simpatico. I mentioned Oscar earlier but, listening again, the name that springs to mind is Bill Evans,
All About Jazz says, "One of the important up-and-comers on the scene today" - can't argue!
Lance.

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