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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Friday, February 03, 2017

Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Jazz Café. Feb 2

(Review by Russell/photo courtesy of Mike Tilley)
Stone Church. The Big Idea’s set list opener, Gerry Richardson’s brooding Hammond, then the explosive, dissipating horns. First thoughts? Gig of the year! The Big Idea is, without question, one of the cast iron, nailed-on bands. Blues for Big Red, then African Sunset (Richardson’s self-deprecating observation: Our big hit). The nine-piece hit the ground running, all the horns killing.
Big Jazz Club in the Sky – when you’ve heard it once you can join in with the lyrics – a list of the jazz greats, a winning tune. The Turnaround Shuffle (recent recruit to the drum chair Adam Sinclair on the money), Lady Day and John Coltrane (one of Richardson’s best vocals), the skanking Ska Odyssey (Big Red himself, Rod Sinclair on top form, as he was all night), and a new one in the pad, a Clarence Wheeler number, blistering it was. It will be in the set list next time – be there to hear it.
Several audience members were hearing the band for the first time. At the interval, all said they were mucho impressed…they’ve got ears!

Cannonball Adderley opened the second set, Song of the Ferris, a solo flute feature for a certain Sue Ferris took it down a notch, but not for long. Drummer Adam Sinclair (living proof that the drum machine should be rendered obsolete) gave what amounted to a drum ‘n’ bass masterclass on Another Dark One, then, the Big Idea’s party piece – All About McGriff. Richardson suggested this was the ‘jazz’ number of the evening. Rip-roaring, a Hammond jazz tear-up. Gig of the year?

All aboard for the finale. A nod to Richard Tee, Richardson invited all present to Take the Tee Train. One helluva exhilarating ride. Cue applause, encore won, let’s go out on Night                               
Train. On leaving the Jazz Café one punter, effusive in praise said: That was expletive deleted ridiculous!
Russell.
More photos.
Gerry Richardson (Hammond B3 & vocals), Garry Linsley (alto saxophone), Stuart Johnson (tenor & soprano saxophones), Sue Ferris (tenor & baritone saxophones, flute), Dave Hignett (trumpet & flugelhorn), Mark Webb (trumpet), David Gray (trombone), Rod Sinclair (guitar) & Adam Sinclair (drums) 
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