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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

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.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Friday, November 06, 2020

Rico's Popup Louis - Nov. 6

Rico Tomasso (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals); Simon Picton (guitar, banjo) 

Another in Rico Tomasso's Friday evening 'Popup Louis' sessions. Rico couldn't remember how long he's been doing these live streams but he's enjoyed doing them and promised to continue into the future. Tonight's guest, making a  welcome return, playing guitar and banjo, Mr Simon Picton. The duo would play eight tunes during the course of an hour. 

Rico's modus operandi, with his 1933 balanced action horn in hand, is to address his online audience in his usual affable manner, all the while checking an off-screen monitor to cue up his accompanist's part and take a peek at some of the many on-screen comments posted by his legion of regulars. First up: The Music Goes Round and Round. Rico sang - noting Danny Kaye's performance in The Five Pennies - as Simon double-tracked rhythm and solo guitar parts. 

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (comp. Arlen/Koehler) followed by Sugarfoot Stomp (Picton on banjo) offered a nice contrast in styles. Rico, picking up his flugelhorn, spoke of his liking for Gordon Jenkins' work, so, the duo played When a Woman Loves a Man. Rico thanked Simon for transcribing Oscar Peterson's intro to Ella and Louis' celebrated version of A Fine Romance (Rico's reading of the lyric went slightly awry, confusing potatoes and tomatoes...don't worry, Rico, let's call the whole thing off!).

Four or Five Times has been recorded by many artists, from King Oliver to Bob Wills. Rico said Simon would play banjo on this one and they'd take an off-mic 'band vocal'. They did, it worked. Rico was enjoying himself, he took another slurp from this week's beer, a bottle of Badger's Golden Champion (readily available in shops across Tyneside). 

Rico suggested Wherever There's Love is synonymous with Eddie Condon. Picking up his flugel once more, Rico sure was in mellow mood. And to close, a brisk take on Liza. It had been another good week in the live stream world of Rico Tomasso. More next week when our host will be joined by young pianist Will Barry. BSH has heard Will in concert with Matt Roberts, he's a great player, it'll be good to catch up with him playing a bunch of tunes with Rico. 
Russell

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