Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Northern Edge Coffee, Silver St., Berwick. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

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

Saturday, March 24, 2018

CD Review: (Jon Shenoy's) Draw By Four - Framework.

Jon Shenoy (tenor/clarinet/bass clarinet/flute/alto flute); Sam Dunn (electric & acoustic guitars); Will Bartlett (Hammond B3); Chris Draper (drums/perc.)
(Review by Lance).
As to be expected, lots of groovin' going on. What else when there's a B3 in the middle of it all? Well, in this case, a whole lot more. Sure, the groove is in (Nite Trip) but so is the lyricism (Hand in Hand).
Shenoy displays a melodic sensibility that bears comparision with any of the great saxophone balladeers of yore. He also composed 7 of the 10 tracks as well as drawing out the emotional content of the Brian Wilson/Tony Asher pop tune, Don't Talk (Put Your Head on my Shoulder). Sam Dunn also does some musical loving on this one.
The groove is back in for Tomorrow's Worriers. Lots of repetitive riffs that, at times, made me think the 'virtual' needle was sticking then, just as I was about to give the Dansette a kick, Shenoy or Dunn would burst forth in glorious stereophonic sound.
My Horizon brings us back down. Reflective, languorous, a contemplation of the horizon, maybe a sunset, or maybe a more personal horizon. Quite beautiful.
Shenoy found inspiration for the 3-part Framework Suite in 3 paintings: J.M.W. Turner's Breakers on a Flat Beach; Colonsay Harbour by Gill Holloway and Winifred Knight's The Deluge. Justice is done to the paintings through Shenoy's musical vision and the portraits painted of the paintings by the soloists - they bring them to life.
The album is rounded off with a couple of strange choices: Marriage is For Old Folks, written by Leon Carr and Earl Shuman and recorded by Nina Simone. Shenoy and Dean don't do it any harm both kicking in with lusty solos whilst Bartlett and Draper keep the groove afloat. 
Finally, a further, much further, step back in time - in theory anyhow - with Arthur Schwartz' You and the Night and the Music. Bartlett puts the boot in, Shenoy runs with the ball and touches down. Arthur Schwartz turns over but only so he can hear it better. 
An album that promised much and delivered more. April 8 the band shoot up the M1 to play Seven Arts in Leeds then turn around and head back home stopping off at Kenilworth Jazz Club on April 9. There's also a couple of late-nighters at Ronnie's on April 20/21.
Lance.
Framework is released on March 30 on Jellymould Jazz JM-JJ029.
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