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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

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.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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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