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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

April

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Zoë Gilby & Johnny Hunter @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 09: Tom Remon + Laurence Harrison @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 09: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.
Thu 09: Michael Littlefield @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Blues.
Thu 09: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra w. Dan Johnson @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. £15.00. inc. bf.

Fri 10: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Joe Steels: Celebrating Wes Montgomery @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Joe Steels, Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Gambling Janes @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 10: Jake Leg Jug Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 10: Steve White Trio @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00. + bf. Soul Drum (Acid Jazz Records) album tour.

Sat 11: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £26.80.

Sun 12: Swing Social @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Admission: Donations (£5.00. - £10.00. suggested). Swing dance taster class, social dancing to Niffi Osiyemi Trio, DJs. Non dancers welcome. A Cluny-Swing Tyne event.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Trio Grand @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30-9:30pm. £10.84.
Sun 12: SH#RP Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Friday, February 16, 2018

Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Empty Shop, Durham - Feb 15

Zoë Gilby (vocals) & Andy Champion (double bass)
(Review by Russell).
It was cold. See photo of Zoë and Andy togged-up. At one point, Andy considered playing with his gloves on! Durham’s Empty Shop was a tad cad. The bar was warm enough with the door closed and a heater working overtime. A bottle of Pavlov’s Dog (Yes, Master…), ‘hello’ to Carlo and co.

Empty Shop’s performance space was cold. A heater, fixed to the ceiling, going full blast, directed warm air down onto a vacant seat below. Your reviewer claimed the seat – someone had to. Mine! All Mine! This was a first gig at Durham’s quirky venue for the Zoë Gilby-Andy Champion duo. First impressions? They liked it. Everyone does. 

West Coast Blues then Graceland then Goodbye Pork Pie Hat: Vocalist Zoë referenced the Nancy Wilson take on Wes Montgomery (lyrics by Sascha Burland), recalled singing Paul Simon as a duo at a friend’s wedding, then Mingus’ salute to Lester Young. Three tunes in, the audience loved it.

Andy thought it time to brave shirt sleeve-order, Zoë wasn’t having any of it, for now. The Gershwin songbook offered Nice Work If You Can Get It, a tune in complete contrast, Nick Cave’s dark, sinister Red Right Hand found Zoë completely immersed in both lyric and performance, then on to another heavyweight musician, John Martin and Solid Air, his dedication to Nick Drake. Voice and bass duo partnerships aren’t exactly thick on the ground, and making the format work can’t be easy, but Zoë and Andy have established a concert standard programme and it works anywhere – be it an empty shop or concert hall.  

Our Love is Here to Stay, then some Kate Bush, then Monk – Straight No Chaser. The Monk held the audience rapt with virtuosic vocals and bass playing winning loud applause. Andy took his bass for a walk on A Weaver of Dreams and Zoë’s amazing vocal dexterity on Tom Waits’ Way Down in the Hole was (and is always) a highlight of their set. An enjoyable, if cold, evening.              
Russell

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