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.

Sunday, October 02, 2016

Sirkis/Bialas International Quartet @ The Globe Jazz Bar - October 1










Asaf Sirkis (dms/konnakol); Sylwia Bialas (voice); Frank Harrison (pno); Kevin Glasgow (bs gtr).
(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew).
One of the most interesting gigs I've been to for awhile. How could it not be with four such accomplished performers? Sirkis is, not only a dynamic drummer, he is also a master of the  art of performing percussion syllables vocally in the South Indian music form known as Konnakol. This he demonstrated at length with a display of dexterity - both hand wise and vocal wise.
Bialas' voice is quite incredible with a vast range and fullness of tone. However, singing in her native Polish meant that the lyrics were meaningless to those of us who weren't multi-lingual! But you could, I suppose, say the same about Italian opera or, come to that, scatting!
Frank Harrison was superb on keys - it's been a good weekend for the  unrelated Harrisons! James on Friday lunchtime, Tom on Friday night and now Frank. I guess that when the ancient Harrisons began begatting there was a lot of music in the air!
Kevin Glasgow wielded a six string bass guitar that, when soloing at the top end of the fretboard, sounded almost cello-like.
The well-attended room, many of whom had been at the afternoon workshop, showed their approval throughout with rapturous applause although there were a couple who found the volume outside of their comfort zone.
As I said at the beginning - interesting.
Lance.

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