Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Tue 06: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Paul Grainger (double bass).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Saturday, May 30, 2020

Saturday Night Rico - May 30

Enrico Tomasso (trumpet/vocal); Keith Nichols (piano/banjo/double bass).

I met Rico's dad and his uncle before even Rico had met them! Well, I didn't actually meet them but I heard them playing clarinet and trumpet respectively with Harry Gold and his Pieces of Eight on the radio when I was still a schoolboy which was some years before Rico was born. It was a good band playing arranged Dixieland in the manner of Bob Crosby's Bobcats as well as doing the pop tunes of the day. I wonder if Rico ever played with the band in later years?*

I'm in retro mood - must snap out of it!



Usual format - almost ... Maori, a tune new to me, with Rico blowing over Keith Nichols' recorded backing. A few words about various trumpet mutes. No One Else But You with a name check to Patti and, of course, some ale. Tonight's brew was served up in a pewter tankard (or maybe it was silver?) which, our man said he'd won playing snooker - are there no limits to his talents?

Thanks a Million, what a great tune! I've played Louis Armstrong's big band version many times - it's on a well worn piece of vinyl I have called Swing That Music, but this was the first time I'd heard Rico playing and singing it. As well as piano, Keith added banjo and double bass making this, in effect, a virtual quartet.

Back in February 1936, Nat Gonella recorded Tiger Rag over two sides of a 78 but Nat only played on the A side leaving the B side to the rhythm section. The idea being a forerunner of the Music Minus One series enabling the embryo player to blow over a pro accompaniment which in this case was Cecil Norman (piano); Albert Harris (guitar); Dick Escott (bass) and Jock Jacobson (drums). Rico duly did just that but, did Keith Nichols burst through in the middle? The volume changed which suggested he may have. Whatever, it was an interesting and different way to close.
Lance
* Rico confirmed that he did play with the band many years later long after his dad had passed.

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