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.

Friday, September 08, 2017

The London Jazz Players - The News Where You Are (download).

Steve Lodder (piano); Davide Mantovani (bass); Marc Parnell (drums).
(Review by Lance.)
I rarely review singles and downloads and this would have been no exception had it not landed on the doormat in CD form even though it is only available as a download via the usual suspects.
As it only runs to a mere 3.21 mins., and the players are of high standing in the UK jazz scene, I decided to lend an ear. With just over 3 minutes to go, I was lending both ears! This was due to Mantovani's sonorous double bass introduction which struck a chord with me immediately and I sensed that this was going to be 3 minutes and 99p well spent.

Lodder and Parnell joined in. The piano stating the theme before going into a Bach like extemporisation.  Parnell, son of the late Jack, made his presence felt, driving it along inspiring and inspired by Lodder's flow of ideas and the ever constant Mantovani.
I'm not sure if this is the finished product or if it's a taster of things to come in the form of an album.
Much credit must be given to the team of Jason Doll-Steinberg and Ruth Wilson who composed, arranged, and produced The News Where You Are.
Doll-Steinberg is a London based guitarist and songwriter who has just recorded more music with Lodder and trumpet ace Steve Waterman.
Wilson, who originally belonged Glasgow, has studied Jazz Performance, Vocals and Composition and is currently working for John Etheridge transcribing some of his guitar solos.
Lance.

1 comment :

TheLJPS said...

Hi Lance, thanks for the great review, really pleased you lent both ears and enjoyed the piece, as well as Steve, Davide and Marc's wonderful playing. We hope to be working on more material soon.
Best Wishes,
Ruth and Jason

Blog Archive