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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

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. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ 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: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

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, August 18, 2018

CD Review: Enrico Pieranunzi & Thomas Fonnesbæk - Blue Waltz.

Enrico Pieranunzi (piano); Thomas Fonnesbæk (bass).
(Review by Lance).
So much happening jazz-wise in the northeast these days that the CDs are once more piling up. So, if you have sent me a bumper bundle, please be patient and change your name to Job. Chances are I'll not even listen to them. Such is the volume of recorded material I'm being sent that it's likely that 90% of it will end up in the garage and, if you want the address of my garage I'll happily provide it along with a crowbar.
However, one album which won't end up in the garage, other than on the car stereo is this one. Steal the car if you must but please leave the CD behind.
Recorded live in Gustav's Restaurant in Copenhagen, Blue Waltz is a superb example of the piano/bass duo format. The Italian pianist and the Danish bassist have certainly absorbed the maxim that it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing,  but, not that swing - I mean the swing of today. Melodic and lyrical, and meaningful. These guys don't need to burn the pet shop down to get their message across. They do it with sensitivity and sheer musicality and, to reiterate, their own brand of swing.
Apart from the opener, Cole Porter's Everything I Love and Kern's All the Things You Are, the pianist composed seven of the other eight numbers with the bassist chipping in with one of his own.
How I wish I'd been in Copenhagen on July 14/15 last year when these were recorded. Still, the concert would have been a one-off whereas I now have it for posterity. I could always buy some smørrebrød at the deli, a can or two of Carlsberg at the off-licence and enjoy what is probably the best duo in the world. 
My virtual recreation of the concert would then be complete.
Lance.
Available on the Stunt label, cat. no. STUCD18012 and distributed in the UK by Discovery.
Teaser.

No comments :

Blog Archive