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.

Wednesday, July 08, 2020

Album review: Anders Bast & the Bast'ards - Through Space & Time.

Anders Best (saxes); Thor Madsen (guitar); Tobias Ball Mikkelsen (bass); Michael Dalgas (drums).

You couldn't make it up! Two vinyl discs arriving on two consecutive days from Denmark!

This bastard - sorry Bast'ard - is a solid piece of red vinyl that was recorded using, I quote, "an older technique where the musicians play in the same room without headphones and with no overdubbing thus ensuring that the recorded music resembles the band's sound when they play live".

It's a good sound, Bast blasts according to the mood. At times, he's stretching the boundaries and heading off into the unknown. At other times he's blowing with a Getz-like lyricism beautifully placed between the two extremes.

The nine original tunes are just that - no contrafacts here or, at least none that I picked up on. The titles are intriguing and, whilst I'm sure they all have a message, two of them most definitely have. South of North Dakota is a protest against fracking all over the world and North Jutland in particular. Blues for the Beast Within refers to the voice that allows us to do bad things and forget our real goals.

No insight is given into the other titles although some need no explanation.

The blurb just says "saxes" - I think tenor is the predominant instrument. Madsen does some guitar thrashing and Mikkelsen and Dalgas are well worth the kroner.
Lance

Release date August 14.
Fat, Sugar, Salt & Tragic; South of North Dakota; Dance of the Possible Kiss; Happiness Always Happens; Think With Your heart; The Humble Warrior; Hotter Than... A Lot of Hugging Going On; Blues For the Beast Within.

No comments :

Blog Archive