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.

Thursday, June 02, 2016

Battersea Rain Dance Revisited

It was the passing of my dear friend Judith Moore that prompted me to seek out this legendary album. It was one of her favourites and was just as big a move forward for the Barber Band as the Lyttleton band had made ten years earlier. Probably more so as, whereas Humph had bridged the gap between Trad and Mainstream when he added Bruce Turner, Barber was jumping from Trad to the soulful modernism of Mingus and the emergent blues rock scene (Paul McCartney is credited with a 'yell' on one track!)
Forget Icecream and all  the Trad stuff - this was the session that predated and inspired the Big Chris Barber Band of later years.
Apart from Barber regulars such as Pat Halcox, John Crocker, Ian Wheeler, Graham Burbidge and Ottilie, others include Brian Auger, McCartney, Vivs Prince and Briggs and a whole lot more.
If you haven't heard it then check it out here..
Lance.
PS: Thank you, Judith.

2 comments :

Patti said...

We used to have this album - and loved this track. I think John Slaughter was in the band too at the time ....... Btw, was Judith the friend of yours that we met at Hoochie a while ago? Such a shame - she seemed really canny.

Lance said...

Yes John Slaughter is in there slaying them on guitar.
You did meet Judith in Hoochie one Thursday I think.

Blog Archive