Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Start the Week at Small's - Mar. 29 & Mar. 30

(Screenshot by Russell)
Brandi Disterheft Quartet - Mar. 29

Vincent Herring (alto sax); Anthony Wonsey (piano); Brandi Disterheft (double bass, vocals); Joe Farnsworth (drums) + Antoine Drye (trumpet)

Brandi Disterheft proudly counts Oscar Peterson as one of her early career supporters. Based in New York, the Canadian bassist gigs around town and this evening at Small's she brought in a quartet to play a set of original compositions and standards. Alto saxophonist Vincent Herring (Nat Adderley, Cedar Walton, Dizzy, Art Blakey) was the big draw and he wasn't about to disappoint.   

Anthony Wonsey is one of NYC's busiest pianists and on this showing it isn't difficult to understand why that is the case. Similarly, drummer Joe Farnsworth has long since been on the Big Apple's A-list. Wonsey brought in Parisian Thoroughfare with Herring's fiery alto playing a set highlight. Moonlight in Vermont took it down, followed by some finger-busting piano playing on Disterheft's recently penned tune, Coup de Foudre, featuring the bandleader's vocals. An excellent set.          

(Screenshot by Russell)
Arcoiris Sandoval's Sonic Asylum Quintet - Mar. 30 

Roxy Coss (tenor sax); Lucas Pino (soprano sax); Arcoiris Sandoval (piano); Marty Kenney (double bass); Allan Mednard (drums) + Alison Yap (guitar) 

Monday evening Anthony Wonsey made a big impression, Tuesday evening another superb pianist gigged at 183 West 10th St. Bandleader Arcoiris Sandoval's first house set comprising five numbers (four original compositions plus a McCoy Tyner chart) featured three or four musicians new to BSH, Sandoval included. The one known name, Allan Mednard, recently heard here in Greenwich Village with Jeremy Pelt, is as impressive a drummer as any. 

The horns - Roxy Cross, tenor, and Lucas Pino, soprano sax - appeared to appreciate one another's contributions, perhaps they were revelling in playing a rare gig! McCoy Tyner's The Mountain performed as a piano, bass and drums trio gave the reeds a rest, otherwise Sandoval's charts involved all on the stand. Spiral into Oblivion could be read as a commentary on these pandemic times, whatever, its title sat comfortably with the band's name, Arcoiris Sandoval's Sonic Asylum Quintet!         
Russell

Set list: Journey to Agartha; Horizon; Spiral into Oblivion; The Mountain; Absence of Free Will.  
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