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.

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).

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

Saturday, February 13, 2021

KSTV: Playback Herbie Hancock "Thrust" & "Headhunters" - Feb. 14

Will Barry (keys); Alec Harper (tenor sax/flute); Flo Moore (bass guitar); Jas Kayser (drums); João Caetano (perc.).

(Screenshots by Ken Drew)

It was funk night at Kansas Smitty's tonight with the band digging deep into a couple of classic Herbie Hancock albums. Yes, it was the 1970's once more. The repetitive riffs, the dance floor grooves, the synth sounds, the pounding percussion, the throbbing bass - it was all there. Come back lost youth where did you go to?
Palm Grease from Thrust lasted about 10 minutes, maybe longer as the solos circulated back and forth and already my feet were tapping. Actual Proof saw tenor king Harper dusting off his flute whilst bass guitarist Moore impressed on the four stringer, her fingers way way up the fingerboard. In the second set she'd switch to a five stringer. Butterfly  saw the set and the album out.

The second set had a couple of numbers from the Headhunters' album - probably Herbie's two most well-known pieces - both of which have served their times at jam sessions the world over.

Watermelon Man bore only passing resemblance to the original version on Blue Note but it still allowed everyone to have a good workout. Harper had two bites of the cherry blowing both flute and tenor solos. 

Chameleon went on and on and that's not a criticism. As Barry pointed out the full version has so many sections that what you hear at a jam is but a small part of the whole. I felt privileged to hear it in its entirety.

Throughout, Jas Kayser was a tower of strength - when is she not? - and she drove it along, always hitting the right groove. Her collaboration with percussionist Caetano served to heighten the tension even higher.

Another winner!
Lance

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