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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

April

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.

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Zoë Gilby & Johnny Hunter @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Midweek at Small's, NYC (Mar. 22-24)

Ari Hoenig Trio - Mar. 22 

(Screenshot by Russell)
Gadi Lehavi (piano); Ben Tiberio (double bass); Ari Hoenig (drums)

New York is currently under stricter lockdown measures, as a result Small's has once again been obliged to close its doors to audiences. The good news is live streams are able to continue. Ari Hoenig returned on Monday evening to play another trio gig - same pianist as last time, Gadi Lehavi, different bass player, Ben Tiberio. 

Two or three numbers from Hoenig's most recent visit to the Greenwich Village venue were once again in the set list, a varied set list at that. First up, George Shearing's Conception. On a Hoenig gig the bandleader is clearly the driving force, if not literally, metaphorically. Ellington and Monk, a couple of original compositions, Hoenig certainly mixed it up with Lehavi and Tiberio very much on Hoenig's wavelength throughout the one hour set. 

Set list: Conception; Lines of Oppression; Sophisticated Lady; Steps; Lana; Well, You Needn't

Steve Nelson Quartet - Mar. 23 

(Screenshot by Russell)
Steve Nelson (vibes); Rick Germanson (piano); Kiyoshi Kitagawa (double bass); Charles Goold (drums) 

Vibes man Steve Nelson doesn't say much. In fact, he doesn't say anything. If it wasn't for Small's MC introducing his quartet, the online audience could be forgiven for not knowing who was on stage! Nelson was the focal point although pianist Rick Germanson did get a look in, and the bass and drums pairing did more than what was required of them. The opening number, Oh, Lady be Good!, just about stole the show, a good show at that. 

Tardo Hammer Trio - Mar. 24 


(Screenshot by Russell)
Tardo Hammer (piano); Lee Hudson (double bass); Steve Williams (drums)

Harold Arlen's Ill Wind opened Tardo Hammer's set. This was BSH's first encounter with the pianist who, for many years, worked with Annie Ross. Accompanying the New Yorker at Small's were two friends, bassist Lee Hudson and drummer Steve Williams.

One online audience member declared: Hammertime! Others greeted Steve Williams' participation with delight. The hour long live stream of GASbook numbers gave Tardo Hammer the opportunity to put his stamp on the material. A fine player is Tardo, full name Richard Alan Hammer, Hudson and Williams perfectly attuned to the pianist's approach. Other gems in this mid-week set included Richard Rodgers' I Didn't Know What Time it Was and RandyWeston's Hi-Fly. 
Russell
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