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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ 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: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Sunday, December 20, 2020

A Christmas Sunday Service with Adrian Cox & Nils Solberg - Dec. 20

Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals); Nils Solberg (guitar, vocals)

The last one of the year. Plans to live stream from Gun Hill Studios with Liane Carroll were shelved some days ago. Stepping into the breach, Adrian Cox's old sparring partner, Mr. Nils Solberg. Cox and Solberg have worked together many times over the the last decade, including several lockdown Sunday Service sermons. The pair engaged in some convivial conversation before beginning today's set. Much hilarity as neither could remember the title of the first number! Eventually, with much snapping of fingers...You Took Advantage of Me, Adrian singing. Anything Adrian could do...Nils sang Walking My Baby Back Home
A request for Stardust...'before 1:30'! Anything to oblige, at 1:18, Adrian and Nils played it to an early afternoon Facebook audience of no fewer than 115 fans (Adrian, clarinet and vocals, Nils guitar accompaniment). Right, folks said Adrian. It's Christmas. So our duo played a relaxed I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas, Adrian singing, Nils chipping in. Sy Oliver's Opus One (a hit for Tommy Dorsey, popular with fans of Ted Heath), joint vocals, festival bonhomie! A glance at the set list, If You Were the Only Girl in the World with some superb guitar playing from Nils. Me and My Shadow, Nils singing, Adrian's turn to chip in, reminiscent of Morecambe and Wise. 

Adrian looked out of the window, the clouds had cleared, saying he'd like to play Nuage, Nils quipping: You cannot be Cirrus!  How very droll! Nils turn to sing one - You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You. Adrian suggested Nils could sing the next one. Nils replied: We'll both sing it, I don't want to take the blame! Adrian requested the audience sing along. Altogether now...Just hear those sleigh bells jingling...Several choruses later, Adrian motioned to his pal Nils; One and out Time to go, two tunes, back to back...When You're Smiling, slow tempo, then with a swish of Adrian's liquorice stick, double time, fun time. And to close, the boys went out swinging on Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (this Friday, tier restrictions or not). Adrian Cox's Sunday Service will return in January. 
Russell             

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