Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Saturday, January 30, 2021

Caro Emerald live streaming from Amsterdam - Jan. 30

Caro Emerald (vocal); Jeroen Vierdag (bass); Wieger Hoogendorp (guitar); Gino Groeneveld (perc.); Pyke Pasman (keys).

Back in 2013 I saw Caro at Sage Gateshead and it was an absolute knockout. A tremendous show that wasn't quite jazz whilst, at the same time, wasn't quite not jazz if you follow me. Tonight, along with a couple of thousand others (a figure that rose to over seven thousand), we waited in eager anticipation. We kept on waiting, and waiting. There was music playing, the images on screen were doing a three-legged dance and the sound was abysmal. Several gave it the thumbs down and left.

I was about to do the same but, at about 13 minutes in, there was Caro smiling at me and looking more beautiful than ever. I'm Coming Back as a Man she sang - the audio and video glitches seemingly cured. At Gateshead, she'd sung the same number with a seven piece band. Tonight it was with a quartet but no less effective. The messages on the screen were coming in fast and furious as were the donations. Even though it was a free live stream, pounds, euros, dollars and rubles as well as other currencies were being donated. It was like the Bureau de Change at Schiphol Airport.

The music continued: Back it up; Tangled up; I Dance With the Ghost of You; Never; The Other Woman; I Want to Love That Man; A Night Like This; You Came Along. The on-line audience knew them all and, going by the comments, everyone was singing and dancing along. I'd heard most of them that time at Sage Gateshead - why change a winning team?

All four musicians were superb and took their short solos impressively. Sadly it had to end but I wouldn't have missed it for the world - gremlins and all!

Lance

Live streamed from Electric Monkey Studio, Amsterdam.

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