Bebop Spoken There

John Donegan: ''What you take in through your ears can come out through your fingers.'' (Notes to Which Direction October, 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

19,030 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 894 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 22) 73.

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

October.

Mon 26: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 26: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. guest Ruth Lambert.
Tue 27: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 29: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 29: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 29: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 29: Simon Taylor Band @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Thu 29: King Bees @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 31: Saltburn Big Band + Durham Alumni Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Sat 31: East Coast Swing Band @ Cramlington Village Club, Park View, Cramlington NE23 6QJ. 7:30pm. £10.00. (from venue).

November

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Donna Hewitt (tenor sax, clarinet)
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Sarah Heneghan Trio : The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Saturday, March 13, 2021

KSTV: Playback session. Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington "The Great Reunion" - March 13

Pete Horsfall (trumpet/vocal); Joe Webb (piano); Ferg Ireland (bass); Will Cleasby (drums)

(Screenshots by Ken Drew).

An album I know well - in fact a double album I know well - although I feel an opportunity was missed, no doubt to the financial logistics. On the original session the line-up included Barney Bigard on Clarinet and Trummy Young on trombone with Duke replacing Billy Kyle on piano. In fact, the Louis Armstrong All-Stars of 1961 with Bigard returning and replacing Ed Hall for this session. Giacomo or Adrian along with Dan Higham would have been ideal but hey! this was pretty damn good as it was and neither me nor the pundits were complaining.

The seven tracks consisted of five from volume one  and two from volume two which maybe suggests they are thinking of reversing the balance in the future. On the strength of tonight it would be nice.

Horsfall gave as good an Armstrong take-off as anyone and without the exaggerated mannerisms that so many of the Satchmo substitutes resort to when inspiration fails!

Joe Webb had the daunting task of taking on the role of Duke but, after his blockbuster solo session this afternoon, we knew he was capable of taking on any role. He didn't come to bury Duke, he came to praise him.

Ferg and Will were, for tonight, Mort Herbert and Danny Barcelona - they did good.

Look forward to hearing once again Pete's band, The Basin Street Brawlers. 

When the world is free.

 Lance

I'm Beginning to See the Light; I Got it Bad and That Ain't Good; Do Nothing till You Hear From Me; Solitude; Drop me Off at Harlem; Azalea; It Don't Mean a Thing.

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