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

18395 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 259 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 30 ), 69

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

March

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Thursday, November 01, 2018

October Choices

Gig of the Month.
Mingus Big Band - Middlesbrough Town Hall - October 21.
Leo Richardson Quartet - Ronnie Scott's - October 17.
Black Swan Jam Session - October 30.
APPJAG Awards - Pizza Express, Holborn - October 16. (Probably my 'Gig of a Lifetime'!).

CDs of the Month.
Sarah Eden - Ailleurs.
Evelyn Laurie - A Little Bit of Me. 
Tony Bennett/Diana Krall - Love is Here to Stay.
Caroline Scott - Khoalesce.

The above listings show just how stupid these 'Best of things' are (Apart from APPJAG Awards) picking just one of anything is impossible and in some cases insulting to other artists! Nevertheless...
The MBB were outstanding at both Middlesbrough and Ronnie's. The Leo Richardson Quartet were equally brilliant in their support set at Ronnie's so I've split them. The Black Swan Jam Session last night was a benchmark for both players and venues.
So many CDs - some I don't even have time to listen to (another 6 arrived today) - so, it's often the case that, if an album misses the cut, it's no reflection on the disc but on my staying power which is why I'm always appealing for reviewers to submit reviews of albums other than their own. 
Naturally, this post is open so let's have your choices...
Lance.

3 comments :

Russell said...

Gig of the month - Mingus Big Band @ Middlesbrough Town Hall.

Steve T said...

Another quiet one for me with a brock arm for the second half of the month.

Brotzmann at Toons Lit and Phil on 6th was wonderfully powerful but brief, the two support acts interesting but not really my thing.

Jasdeep Singh Degun at the Sage' Northern Rock on 19th was the best Indian gig Mrs T and I have seen that didn't have Zakir Hussain on stage, but we only did part two cos I'd just come out of hospital a few hours earlier.

Still trawling through piles and piles of Soul Albums. You'd think I'd have heard them all by now - you'd be surprised.

Steve T said...

And of course I rudely omitted Josh Schofield at Lescala in Sheffield, which clearly made Mrs T's diary, which obviously over-rules mine.

All three gigs (3?) were equally good in their own, very different ways.

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