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.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Paul Edis: Lockdown Live #10 - May 22

Paul Edis (piano/vocals)

Lockdown session number ten. Paul came in on the back of 134 previous tunes none of which were repeats and this lunchtime he added another 12 - all absolute masterclasses in jazz piano. Not many pianists go head to head with Keith Jarrett and come out unbloodied, but Paul managed to do just that on the rather beautiful Country - positively pastoral.


All of Me and All of You may be similarly titled, although stylistically far apart, nevertheless, Paul put his own individual stamp on them both.

Bird and Trane were represented with Blues For Alice and Giant Steps, Michel Legrand threw in Watch What Happens, Roly requested I Can Dream Can't I?, Paul played his own Snakes and Ladders and sang a couple of tunes associated with Sinatra (Have You Met Miss Jones? and In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning) which brought to mind a Sinatra film title - None But the Brave.

To finish off we had Cheek to Cheek and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy thus rounding off an enjoyable hour of impeccable playing.
Lance

1 comment :

Chris Kilsby said...

A tour de force for his tenth test!

Due to the preponderance of 1920's material in previous weeks, I'd cheekily asked Paul for something more contemporary, e.g. Jarrett's My Song album. He chose my favourite track "Country": Youtube is littered with (poor) covers of this, mostly missing the feel. So, without Garbarek to play the melody here, I feared (a little) for Paul! Needn't have worried... not only nailed it, with some Jarrett flourishes and smeared chords (and all without any groaning) but added his own contributions! The second half particularly getting stuck into some glorious improvised stuff which I'll have to re-listen! And what a great variety for the rest of the set!

When is he going to run out of tunes?
A great end to the week, thanks Paul!
Chris K

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