Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

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.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

CD Review: Karen Lane - Passarim

Karen Lane (vocals); Andrea Trillo (drums, vocals tracks 7,10); Rob Luft (guitar); Steve Watts (bass); Graham Harvey (piano, Rhodes); Gareth Lockrane (flutes); also Aneselmo Netto (perc tracks 2,6,7); Ricardo Dos Santos (bass tracks 5,12); Saskia Horton (violin track 5); Simon McCorry (cello track 5)
(Review by Ann Alex)
By happy coincidence, I was in a Latin Jazz mood when reviewing this CD, brought on by watching the excellent documentary film about The Buena Vista Social Club (Friday evening television), with its lively street scenes of Cuba, biographies of the musicians, and of course the music itself. This CD features the music of Brazil, different country you say, but still with the Latin rhythms and songs of love shot through with images of sea, sand, trees and flowers.  
Karen Lane was raised in Perth, Western Australia, and she started off as a soul singer in Sydney in the early 90’s. She eventually settled in the UK, became involved in the jazz scene, and was championed by the chat show host, Michael Parkinson. She has played at venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express, and Cafe De Paris in Monte Carlo. This is her newest album, with a new set of musicians, with some songs in Portuguese and some in English. The musicians are well up to the mark and beyond, the voice is pleasing, with a good range, and the repertoire is of both well-known songs and some less familiar. The language was no barrier to enjoyment.

The title track was typical, Jobim’s Passarim, (track 9), with English lyrics about a bird, a tree, and love. The flute portrays bird-like sounds, then is joined by piano.  Track 10, Moon And Sand is rhythmical yet relaxing, with skilled wordless vocalisations. On track 5, we meet Lane’s eldest daughter, Saskia Horton, playing excellent violin, together with more great flute work from Lockrane which lasts to fade-out. Lots of songs are by Jobim, 6 out of 13 tracks. Track listings are:-
1 Chega De Saudade (No More Blues); 2 Manha De Carnival (Carnival); 3 Samba De Verao  (That Would Be So Nice); 4 Caminhos Cruzados;  5 If You Wanna Be A Lover ; 6 Poinciana (I’m Glad There Is You); 7 Amor Em Paz; 8 So Tinha De Ser com Voce 9 Passarim 10 Moon And Sand; 11 Estate;
12 Crystal Silence 13 Vivo Sonhando

The CD is released this coming Friday, April 27.
Ann Alex

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