Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Fri 24: TBC @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

CD Review: Henrik Jensen's Followed By Thirteen - Affinity

Rory Simmons (trumpet); Esben Tjaive (piano); Henrik Jensen (bass); Pete Ibbetson (drums).
(Review by Lance)

Bass player Henrik Jensen is no stranger to these pages. The Dane appeared several times at the Jazz Café with his Followed By Thirteen quartet. He has also shown up with Joy Ellis on several occasions at The Globe and elsewhere and, as an indication of his in-demand status, has appeared at Sage Gateshead with the Puppini Sisters - perhaps he will be with them when they return on April 25.

We've also covered several of his CDs which led to my anticipation of this, his latest, and I wasn't disappointed!
It is so cool and laid back that I too wanted to lay back and just wallow in the sound. Even the more uppish numbers had such a relaxed feel about them that I wasn't sure if I wanted a late night cocktail or a cup of cocoa - I settled for the former. A Mojita. Not, I hasten to add, one of your posh city centre jobs with mint leaves, mini umbrellas and gawd knows what else floating around and costing an arm and a leg. This was a 99p can from one of the lesser mutiple stores. The Bacardi could be vagually detected and it tipped the scales at 250ml/5%.

However, I digress!

The band!

Simmons has a great sound - hotter than Chet, cooler than Miles - perfect!

Tjaive, a fellow Dane who studied with Jensen at the Royal Academy, displays an appropriate affinity with his friend and the empathy between them is obvious.

Ibbetson slots in nicely, not in anyway obtrusive except when the composition demands it.

As for Jensen himself ... Denmark produced, arguably, the world's greatest jazz double bassist - no name needed - and it suffices to say that Henrik Jensen is in that league.

Henrik's compositions are from the heart - this album is a celebration of his aunt Jyta Peterson who recently passed away. 
Also included is a dedication to his new born son - Four for a Boy - whilst Gentle Giant remembers his late friend and esteemed pianist, Paolo Losi.

BSH is quoted in the blurb as saying in a previous review - "This cosmopolitan line-up works superbly well".

It still does!

If you like your jazz soft but far from smooth then this is for you. It comes out on March 20 and, if you live in Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol or London you can probably pick one up at a gig before then. If, however, you live in one of jazz's more remote outposts such as Newcastle then you may have to order it at J.G.Windows in the Central Arcade or contribute to the downfall of the high street by ordering online via the usual suspects (+ postage).
Lance
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