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.

Monday, June 26, 2017

CD Review: Kathrine Windfeld Big Band

(Review by Lance).
A compelling album by an outstanding Danish Big Band. Not a swing band by any means and, although there are foot-tapping moments, mainly it's a contemporary ensemble with barely a do-wa-do-wa-do-wa in sight. Instead, Ms. Windfeld successfully, and originally, explores territories previously prospected by Gil Evans, Mingus, George Russell, Kenny Wheeler, Mike Westbrook and Mike Gibbs among others. She does it well and loses nothing in comparision to her better known, outside of Denmark, contemporaries.

At only 30-year-old, the world is surely Kathrine's oyster if she can continue in this vein. This pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader must soon be performing at Ronnie's, Birdland and jazz festivals across the world.
Of course, behind every great bandleader there is a great band and this is a great band. Tight ensembles, giving way to free explosions and some exciting solos - Including the lady on piano! Trumpet player Sørensen's solos could even have given the album a subtitle - A Kind of [Danish] Blue.
Lance.
Kathrine Windfeld (piano, composer, arranger, MD); André Bak, Rolfe Thofte Sørensen, Magnus Oseth (trumpet/flugel); Göran Abelli, Mikkel Aagaard, Anders Larson (trombone); Jakob Lundbak, Jakub Wiecek (alto); Roald Elm Larsen , Ida Karlsson (tenor); Toke Reins (baritone); Viktor Sandström (guitar); Johannes Vaht (bass); Henrik Hansen (drums).
Available in UK on CD or LP July 28.
Label Stunt.
UK distribution - Discovery.

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