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, 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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