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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Tonight's Blue Note: Freddie Hubbard - Ready For Freddie

Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Wayne Shorter (tenor sax); Bernard McKinney (euphonium); McCoy Tyner (piano); Art Davis (bass); Elvin Jones (drums).

In my vast collection of albums, this is the only one where I can recall the presence of a euphonium - at least not one where it takes its place as a front line instrument. McKinney, later to be known as Kiane Zawadi recorded with a host of name musicians but, probably mainly as a trombonist, I don't know. What I do know is that he gets a good sound out of the instrument - as good as a valve trombone and probably better than a French horn - and it makes me wonder why it hasn't featured more frequently in jazz circles.

As the ultimate accolade, McKinney loses nothing by comparison to Hubbard and Shorter who are in cracking form. Shorter and McKinney drop out for A Weaver of Dreams which is a shame as I'd like to have heard it played on euphonium! Nevertheless, Hubbard's rendition is probably the best version I've heard of this great ballad - even Nat Cole singing it didn't get this close to the song.

It's yet another magnificent Blue Note recorded in 1962 with McCoy Tyner also in scintillating form driven along by Jones and Davis.
Lance.

Arietis; A Weaver of Dreams; Marie Antoinette; Birdlike; Crisis; Arietis (alt. take); Marie Antoinette (alt. take).
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