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.

Friday, June 17, 2016

CD Review: Alchemy Sound Project - Further Explorations

Erica Lindsay (ten); Sumi Tonooka (pno); Salim Washington (ten/ob/fl/bs clt); David Arend (bs); Samantha Boshnack (tpt); Willem de Koch (tmb); Max Wood (dms).
(Review by Dave Brownlow)
A programme of music from five composer/performers – supplemented by two other players for the recording – attempting to explore the common ground between the diverse traditions of classical music and jazz. In the past, such luminaries as Dave and Howard Brubeck, John Lewis, Gunther Schuller, George Russell, Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, Bill Evans and even Bird himself have attempted to blend the two styles, ie “The Third Stream”, with varying degrees of success.
 Here, the five core members of this project were brought together by the Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute at Columbia University to encourage jazz composers to explore writing music for the symphony orchestra at an extensive week-long course with other leading musicians.
“The result is an artful and boundary-stretching amalgam of jazz and classical ideas that show off the chemistry formed during the bandmates brief but enlightening time studying together ; the concept is about blurring these lines, hybridising jazz elements with classical music” is what it says on the tin…
Ten compositions (two from each contributor) ranging in mood/style from the thoughtful, atmospheric, meditative, soulful, to the progressive/contemporary, bold and experimental. The musicians, all talented players, have produced a debut CD where the jazz/chamber music integration is well conceived and finely executed providing a thoroughly absorbing set for those devotees of contemporary ‘Third Stream’ music.
Available now on Artists Recording Collective ARC – 2666 or from
Dave Brownlow.

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