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.

Monday, April 27, 2020

Intoxication Blues with Lindsay Hannon - April 27

Lindsay Hannon's weekly Monday night live stream session got off to a good start. For starters our vocalist was more or less on time (7:15). What's more the audio-visual was more or less in sync. No, truthfully, it wasn't so good. Then, as is Facebook's wont, the screen froze with Lindsay rendered motionless and mute. 

Much clicking, rebooting or whatever the tech geek term is, then, success! Back to the start, this time half an hour or so without too many glitches. Where were we? Ah, yes, Lindsay drinking, talking about intoxication (blues). Vera Hall's I Been Drinkin' (she sure had!) was all about drinkin' and drinkin'. Your reviewer had just opened a first bottle of Fuller's ESB. Cheers, Lindsay! 

Shakers in her left hand, shakers in her right, Lindsay seemed confused between left and right! Opting to shake it in her left, our live stream host promptly shook it in her right! What's that about I been drinkin'? Yes, we got Leadbelly's Take a Whiff on Me with right hand shaker rhythmic accompaniment.       

Prisoner Blues or I Been a Bad, Bad Girl went way back to 1930s' American penitentiaries as Lindsay sang one of only two known recorded tracks by Ozella Jones. Our host referred to Alan Lomax's field trip. On that occasion down in Florida the well-known archivist was assisted by Zora Neale Hurston. 

Our Monday evening blues session concluded with a Janis Joplin number, the subject, as throughout this half hour survey of women singing the blues...drinking. Lindsay hollered What Good Can Drinkin' Do? Don't ask me, guv'nor, I'm off to the kitchen to grab another Fuller's.   
Russell  

1 comment :

Lance said...

One of my favourite drinking numbers is Louis Jordan's "What's the Use of Getting Sober when You're Gonna Get Drunk Again? Maybe yet another list - this time of drinking songs - The Student Prince is excluded!

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