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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

April

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.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Zoë Gilby & Johnny Hunter @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

CD Review: Fleur Seule – Standards And Sweet Things

(Review by Ann Alex)

Yes I thought after hearing the first 2 tracks, yet another sweetish-voiced woman singer, clear diction, competent musicians, good but not unusual, then I sat up for track 3, I Only Have Eyes For You, done as a very slow ballad with the piano commenting after each line, a bass solo, and sung in a manner I can only describe as 'lovingly'. The slowness of this version would have daunted many singers and made listeners yawn, but Ms Briggs carries it off well.

This is the fifth studio album from the band Fleur Seule and they are every inch an experienced outfit. They are described as Manhattan's very own 1940's jazz band and the CD includes swing, French songs from WW2 and the sounds of Puerto Rico. Ms Briggs looks the part as she is a blonde who resembles Marilyn Monroe. A CD with a cheerful feel, suitable for your next nostalgic party.

They play regularly at Birdland, and have a 5 year residency as the house band at The Tavern on the Green. Ms Briggs sings in 7 languages and speaks 4 so she is able to cover many genres to reach the varied New York audiences.

This is a very enjoyable CD and some tracks deserve a special mention, such as the lively Them There Eyes with a skilled trumpet solo; Tenderly, which is very, yes, tender, slow with brushed drums and a romantic bowed bass; Shoo-Fly Pie And Apple Pan Dowdy is a very amusing song about food, quote 'shoo-fly pie and apple pan dowdy, makes your eyes light up and your stomach say howdy'.

 Then we have the variety of a fast Latin number, Piel Canela; a jaunty French fun song Zou Zou Bisou and the more serious La Vie En Rose. Other tracks are: Taking A Chance On Love; Sabor A Mi; Manuelo; Misty; Con Los Anos Que Me Quedan; Almost Like Being In Love; Sweet Happy Life; Embraceable You; and 'S Wonderful.

The album was self-released on October 9. See www.fleurseule.com
Ann Alex

Allyson Briggs (vocals, bandleader); Andy Warren (trumpet, arranger, musical director); Jason Yeager (piano); Michael O'Brien (bass); Paul Francis (drums); Richard Miller (guitar); Ivan Llanes (percussion); Martina DeSilva, Vanessa Perea, Marg Davis (background vocals)
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