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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 2025).

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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

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

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Daniel John Martin w Swing Manouche @ Core Music, Hexham - Feb 22

Daniel John Martin (violin, vocals); Mick Shoulder (guitar); Giles Strong (guitar); Ian Paterson (double bass) 
(Review by Russell)

Daniel John Martin, or DJM as he is known, made a flying visit to the north east of England to play three gigs in as many days and conduct a workshop into the bargain. DJM's friendship with Mick Shoulder enables the Paris-based violinist to tour across the region on a regular basis. County Durham-based Shoulder acts as fixer and the gypsy jazz aficionados enjoy playing a wide variety of material together, invariably in the company of guitarist Giles Strong and, on this occasion, bassist Ian Paterson.

Thursday it was Newcastle's Jazz Co-op (see Ann Alex's review), Friday DJM was in Durham at Claypath Deli (BSH's man on the ground Tony Eales reported a successful evening up on Claypath) and Saturday found DJM and Mick Shoulder as the advance guard arriving in Hexham mid-afternoon to run a workshop at Core Music with a tour-ending Swing Manouche evening concert at the Gilesgate music resource centre.  

A 'bring-your-own-refreshments' arrangement found your reviewer carrying several bottles of beer (one of them a bottle of 'Jazz Club', a 5% coffee porter from the recently established Brewis Beer Co in Amble) and a couple of bottles of white wine all the way from Newcastle to the Northumberland market town. Core Music's ancient, intimate premises would prove to be the ideal venue to listen to DJM and Swing Manouche. 
        
Danube suggested DJM. Swing Manouche (that's Shoulder, Strong and Paterson) nodded and off they went, giving Strauss' Blue Danube (aka The Anniversary Song) a Parisian by-way-of Hexhamshire gypsy jazz treatment with its multi chorus Mick Shoulder feature. We had been going scarcely five minutes yet thoughts turned to a 'Gig of the Year' nomination!   

Let's Fall in LoveLulu Swing, Shoulder dropping no fewer than three picks (each one retrieved in a trice) on I Wish You Love (DJM's exquisite vocals), a Latin treatment given to Nature Boy with our guest's vocals and whistled/pizzicato coda - simply magical. Au Privave closed a marvellous first set with Swing Manouche firing on all cylinders. 

J'attendrai reprise des d'affaires. Oops, English, if you please! The popular pre-war song is often in Hot Club/gypsy jazz sets and Daniel John Martin and the Swing Manouche boys can do it better than most and they did just that here in Hexham. Très bien! A sublime I'll See You in My Dreams, that Gig of the Year nomination was all but assured. DJM turned to the boys: Heaven. Ah! A vocal chorus brought in Cheek to Cheek. It doesn't get any better than this with master rhythm guitarist Giles Strong cruising and bassist Ian Paterson a revelation in the Hot Club idiom. World class jazz, an intimate venue, perfection.

The 'Jazz Club' coffee porter long-since consumed, it would soon be time to brave February's elements but not before an all but obligatory Nuages (Shoulder soloing) and a DJM vocal on There'll Never be Another You. Our guest from France had enjoyed himself, so much so DJM insisted on an encore with two of the afternoon's workshop participants joining him and Swing Manouche to play All of Me. Eddie on guitar and John playing trumpet did themselves proud. The next time Daniel John Martin is in town do yourself a favour...don't miss the violin (and vocals) virtuoso.            
Russell

2 comments :

DJM said...

Dear Russell.
Thank you so much for your lovely articles.
I look forward to seeing you again (and have the time to chat maybe) next time I'm over...
Kind regards.
DJM

Unknown said...

Fantastic review `Russell. Just sorry I wasn't there to see the gig. Please look our for further intimate gigs at Core. Best regards. Mike Coleman, Core Music.

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