Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

September.

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Tuesday, September 05, 2017

CD Review: Rudy Smith Quartet - Glass World

Rudy Smith (alto steel pan); Ole Matthiessen (piano); Henrik Dhyrbye (bass); Ole Streenberg (drums); Jesper Løvdal (tenor on 2 tracks); Bjarne Roupe (guitar on 1 track).
(Review by Lance).
A few years back I was part of the horn section of the Chilli Road Band, a band that was predominately a steel band with a few horns. The panners were mainly of school age and, naively, I thought that it was a great way of introducing them to music and, hopefully, eventually, a proper instrument!
Pass the sackcloth and the ashes - steel pans are proper instruments and, in the hands of Rudy Smith who is credited as being the man who transformed them into a jazz instrument, this CD proves it.
They have a unique sound - somewhere between a Fender Rhodes and a vibraphone and slot into the ensemble as easily as any other front line instrument. Here, in the company of some of Denmark's top jazzmen, Smith more than holds his own. Has he ever won a Miscellaneous Instrument gong in any of the magazine polls? He should be the automatic choice. Listen to his version of Body and Soul and you'll see what I mean. We're not talking novelty, we're talking music.
Of course, Smith isn't the only star shining on this fine album. Olie Matthiessen plays piano as well as contributing six of the nine compositions. Smith chips in with one and, calypso king Lord Kitchener provides Old Lady Walk One Mile & A Half.
Jesper Løvdal blows impressive tenor on a couple of tracks, Roupe has his say on the final track and bass and drums make their presence felt when bass and drums are needed to make their presence felt.
Now, do I go to Denmark or the Caribbean for my holidays?
Maybe I'll stay at home with a bottle of Carlsberg, a Mojita chaser and this album which is available on Stunt Records (UK distributor, Discovery) from September 22.
Lance.
PS: If you're doing the Great North Run this Sunday look out for the Chilli Road Band who will be playing at the roadside (Wardley flyover). They should spur you onto a PB or, then again, you may just want to stop running and listen!
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