Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

Sat 14: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 14: Big Joe Louis + Michael Littlefield @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00. Jumpin’ Hot Club.
Sat 14: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

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

Saturday, June 06, 2020

Streaming Rico 'n' Denny - June 6

Enrico Tomasso (trumpet/flugel/vocals); Denny Ilett (guitar).

Well it's Saturday Night which means it's time to tune into CBC - The Chiswick Broadcasting Corporation, as Rico describes his home studio.

In many ways, these Lockdown livestreams remind me of the early days of pirate radio stations like Radio Caroline except that these are legal and operating inside the three mile limit although, just as the offshore stations were subject to weather conditions, so are the livestreams at the mercy of Facebook technology.

Fortunately, apart from a little jiggery-pokery at the start, tonight's show was virtually without hiccups - just the occasional split-second freeze but never enough to spoil our enjoyment.

When It's Sleepy Time Down South with trumpet and vocal by Rico and sympathetic chording from Denny (who was excellent throughout) got things underway. I'm in the Market For You is an absolutely beautiful tune that deserves being played more often, possibly it's the dated lyric that holds it back or maybe it's the fact that the title suggests something darker...

A slurp from a can prompted Rico to quote one of Sinatra's lines from Ol' Blue Eye's famous album Live at The Sands. The crowd were shouting for one more to which Frank replied, "I'm going to the bar and that's what I'll be saying - one more!"

A surprise number - Jobim's Dindi which everyone commenting thought was called Gigi - Patti put them right! Rico blew flugel and managed to get something out of it - Am I the only person in the world who doesn't like this tune? It was the same when I was in the RAF, I was the only one marching in step.

A gem to finish off with - Tiny's Tempo. Recorded originally by Tiny Grimes and Charlie Parker, it allowed Rico to slip in a couple of bop licks. Excommunication is imminent unless, next week, he plays/sings The Whiffenpoof Song... 

Talking of next week he's got Brian Kellock on piano for both days (Friday/Saturday).
Lance

1 comment :

Russell said...

I think Rico's can was actually his tankard. What was in it he didn't say.

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