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

18395 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 259 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 30 ), 69

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

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.

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

The Early Bird Sessions @ The Lit & Phil. March 12

Ben Lawrence (trumpet), Nick Caughey (tenor saxophone), Francis Tulip (guitar), Dan Lawrence (bass), Matt MacKellar (drums) & Paul Edis (piano & alto saxophone)
(Review by Russell/photo from archive.)
The Early Birds’ workshop and performance sessions go from strength to strength. Led by Paul Edis, the talented teenage musicians are writing material, playing gigs and on a Saturday morning such as this early spring day, regroup from time to time at the Lit and Phil to get back to basics, learn a tune or two in double quick time and open the doors to an interested, curious audience.
Half an hour or so, half a dozen tunes, today’s session featured two new numbers written by bassist Dan Lawrence. Divorced, Beheaded, George Michael or some such title, fused an English pastoral folk tune – Greensleeves – with George Michael’s Careless Whisper. Tenor man Nick Caughey grabbed a solo and harmonising horns (rhythm section out) did the business. Just Passing Through negotiated many changes featuring two solos; brother Ben Lawrence (trumpet) and band leader Edis (alto).
This Masquerade paraded Francis Tulip (guitar), the frontline horns and bassist Lawrence taking it out. Thirty minutes flew past, the set bookended by Take the A Train (with NYC Subway intro - bustling, chaotic, expressionistic) and a fine take on Bird’s Anthropology (Tulip blazing a bop trail and Matt MacKellar wrapping it up with another accomplished solo). Your next opportunity to be a Lit & Phil Early Bird is Saturday 9 April at 11:00am.  
Russell.                     

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