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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

March

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Adrian Cox plays Archie Semple's Night People - Mar. 28

(Screenshot by Russell)
Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals)

In 1962 Archie Semple and Alex Welsh recorded Night People. Today Adrian Cox played tracks from the album. First up, Carolina Moon. Our man thought it rather neat that today's Sunday Service should follow on from last weekend's Pee Wee Russell special, the American a great influence on Semple. Summer is a Comin' In is a tune Cox hadn't played and he couldn't recall anyone else playing it. 

Cox's Bulgaria sojourn continues, he alluded to the weather being rather good, and this afternoon he performed to a real, albeit small, live audience. From Mick Mulligan to Freddy Randall, Semple made a big impression when relocating to London from Edinburgh. His star would shine brightly in what proved to be a relatively short career, indeed a short life beset with health issues. 

A tune from the album, Mean to Me, minus Semple, a feature for Alex Welsh, Cox's clarinet playing the familiar melody, our man singing the lyrics which, he confessed, he didn't know as well as he thought he did. Bye Bye Blackbird isn't on the Night People album but Cox wanted to play and sing it anyway, at two different tempos, which will have satisfied one of his online flock who was hoping to hear an uptempo number. During lockdown last year Cox live streamed an Archie Semple special. He recalled how much he liked After My Tears Came Laughter and he would like to play it again today. A nice tune, composed by Roy Turk and Charles Tobias. To close today's session (no fewer than 140 online!), Preacher Cox played and sang Home, not on the album, simply a good tune. Next week, Easter Sunday (1:00pm BST) it's a Jelly Roll Morton special.  Russell        

Set list: Carolina MoonSummer is a Comin' InNight PeopleMean to MeSolitarinessBye Bye BlackbirdJust Another DayOld FolksAfter My Laughter Came My TearsHome

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