Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 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

18445 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 309 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 20 ) 43,

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 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Fri 24: Noel Dennis Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. Dennis, Mark Willams, Andy Champion. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Trio Grand @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Ben Vince + The Exu @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £14.33., £11.16, £8.00. A ‘jazz adjacent’ gig!
Fri 24: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £13.20 (inc. bf).
Fri 24: TBC @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.

Sat 25: Giles Strong Quartet @ Hindmarsh Hall, Alnmouth. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Sat 25: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £13.20 (inc. bf).
Sat 25: ‘Portrait in Evans’: Noa Levy & Alan Barnes w. Paul Edis Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £24.00. Sage Two. ‘Portrait in Evans’. Levy, Barnes, Edis, Andy Champion & Steve Hanley.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 26: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Ni Maxine + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.
Sun 26: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 26: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £16.00., £14.00., £7.00.

Mon 27: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: House of Blues @ the Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00., £5.00. advance. A student-led jazz session. ‘House of Blues’ is, perhaps, a misnomer.
Mon 27: Littlewood Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00 + bf, £7.00. + bf.

Tue 28: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Long/Remon/Zilker @ The Ship Isis, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf. Tom Remon plays Irish folk!
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Hackney Colliery Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £25.00.

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 forceif 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: ConceptionLines of OppressionSophisticated LadyStepsLanaWell, 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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