Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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

September.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Mark Williams Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 26: Adam Fairhall & Johnny Hunter: Play Mary Lou Williams @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 26: John Pope Quintet + Urvashi @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £15.40. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.

Sunday, March 07, 2021

A Sunday Service with Mezz Mezzrow - Mar. 7

Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals)

Of the many live streams to choose from, Adrian Cox's weekly Sunday Service is of a consistently high standard. Over the weeks and months our genial clarinetist has developed a large online following. Engaging with his audience seems to come naturally and, like many musicians, Cox has come to grips with the live stream technology. Today's session would focus upon clarinetist Mezz Mezzrow. 

Still slumming it in Bulgaria, Cox thanked the hotel for giving him free rein. Today's session came live from the hotel lobby. Would hotel guests stop by to listen? At the off no fewer than 100 fans were online. First up, Hot Club Stomp followed by Clarence Williams' I Ain't Give You None o' This Jelly Roll with Cox's first vocal of the set. Minutes later the online audience numbered 125. Clearly, word gets around. Just noticed Adrian's snazzy hat. Perhaps it's part of the Bad Manners' stage gear (Adrian does play stuff other than jazz!). 

Everybody Loves My Baby (comp. Spencer Williams/lyrics Jack Palmer) played - and sung - to a gentle background hum. What/who was it? Hotel guests! Real live human beings! Hang in there, the real, live gig is on the horizon! A pint, a packet of crisps, can't wait! 

Next week it's Mother's Day or Mothering Sunday. Adrian will be looking at the work of Ivy Benson. Excellent, tune in at one o'clock. Earlier in the week Adrian consulted Jim Denham about the tune Lights Out. Oracle Denham replied with chapter and verse. Adrian played - and sung - it, handclapping as he went, saying he liked the number, swiftly adding he liked all of the tunes he plays.

During the week our host listened to lots of Mezz Mezzrow. Aware of some of the critics who weren't too impressed with the man's technique, Adrian leapt to Mezzrow's defense saying: He had amazing spirit for the music (not least in the era of Dizzy and Bird and the all-pervading sound of bebop). Christopher's Rockin' took us up to two o'clock (four o'clock if you're in Bulgaria). In closing, Adrian recommended this evening's session from Ronnie Scott's - Denny Ilett's Big Band playing the music of Jimi Hendrix. That's recommendation enough, eight o'clock.      

Russell           

Set list: Hot Club Stomp; I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None o' This Jelly Roll; Indiana; Tommy's Blues; A Melody from the Sky; Sendin' the Vipers; Everybody Loves My Baby; Lights Out; Christopher's Rockin' (aka Christopher Columbus)

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