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).

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Preview: Junior Wells at Kansas Smitty's (Jan. 20)

In September 1965, Delmark Records' boss Bob Koester invited Junior Wells to record an album with musicians of his choosing. A couple of months later the Chicago based label released Hoodoo Man Blues by the Junior Wells' Chicago Blues Band. It would prove to be one of the label's biggest selling albums. 

Chicago's classic 50s' South Side blues scene - Wille Dixon, Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf - continued to exert influence throughout the sixties with the emergence of the likes of Paul Butterfield and Charlie Musselwhite. On Wells' mid-sixties recording he adopted the classic, spine-tingling harmonica-through-the-PA set up. Sharing the vocals with guitarist Buddy Guy (cementing a life-long musical partnership), Wells recruited bassist Jack Myers and drummer Bill Warren to complete the studio line-up. 

Tonight's Kansas Smitty's live stream will be playing cuts from Hoodoo Man Blues. It's odds on we'll hear Good Morning School GirlHound DogEarly in the Morning and, of course, the title track, Hoodoo Man Blues. Smitty's line-up includes Dave Archer (Buddy Guy!) and Jalen N'Gonda (Wells' vocals!). The question is, who, if anyone, will be blowing blues harp?! Log on to Facebook/YouTube at eight o'clock to find out!    
Russell             

1 comment :

NeilC said...

Thank you Russell what a cracking set really enjoyed it but it reinforced how much we all miss live music and how much the artists miss us . Virtual is all we can expect at the moment but just heard Bob Geldof ranting about Government help , the most pertinent point was an example he gave was Gary Numan, who put out a virtual album/single which received a million hits on Social media and he received £37 for his troubles , absolutely shocking .

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