Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. 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

Monday, May 02, 2016

CD Review: Matt Wilson's Big Happy Family - Beginning of a Memory.

(Review by Lance).
I should have listened to the album before reading the notes. That way my judgement may have possibly been more objective.
I didn't, and so it became a heart v head thing. In the end, it didn't matter - as always the heart won but the head also prevailed.
Explanation time!
Wilson lost his wife, Felicia, in June 2014 and this is his tribute album which incorporates members of the various bands drummer Wison led over the years. All of whom were eager to contribute to an album in Felicia's memory.. It's a stunning and emotional collection. Wilson says, "It celebrates her relationship with all of these folks because Felicia had a really special relationship with each and every one of them."
So, every  blown note meant something. I'd never heard of Felicia until today and yet, already, I was in love with her memory and the music from the musicians on this disc who she inspired so much.
That's the heart having had its say!
The head doesn't disagree.
At times it's frantic, at other times it's pastoral - maybe Mingus meeting Debussy at a crossroads in Georgia. Whatever, this is ace high.
I often wonder, why would you want to buy an album by the latest new kid on the block when there are so many better discs by the, sadly, long gone greats?
That question isn't posed here although it may be many years hence.
Highly rec!
Lance.
Terrell Stafford (tpt); Kirk Knuffke (cor); Jeff Ledere (sop/ten/clt); Joel Frahm (ten/sop0; Andrew D'Angelo (alt/bs clt); Gary Vercase (pno/org/acc); Larry Goldings (pno); Martin Wind, Paul Sikivie, Yosuke Inque, Chris Lightcap (bs); Matt Balitsaris (gtr); Matt Wilson (dms).

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