Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Remembering Alex Welsh: Live at Jack's Place - April 28

(Screenshot by Russell)
Jamie Brownfield (trumpet); Andrzej Baranek (piano); Ed Harrison (double bass); Jack Cotterill (drums) 

Week thirteen at Jack Cotterill's place, this evening's live stream featuring the music of Alex Welsh. Initially Facebook played silly beggars resulting in a delay of some fifteen minutes. Host Jack Cotterill put another shilling in the meter and we were in business. New Orleans Masquerade stomped off with Jamie Brownfield firing on all cylinders. No time for inter-song chatter, straight on with a super-swift take on Chinatown, My Chinatown. Yes, things had gotten off to a flyer, as our American cousins might say. 

Brownfield in incendiary form, for sure, yet when the occasion demands he can take it down, our trumpeter doing just that in a duo rendition of Davenport Blues with pianist Andrzej Baranek (Alex Welsh and Fred Hunt!), bassist Ed Harrison leaning on his bull fiddle listening, Cotterill attending to streaming matters. Much of tonight's set drew from Welsh's Classic Concert album (recorded in Dresden in 1971), Maple Leaf Rag one such, typically spirited Dixieland fayre. Next up, Guess the tune, said Cotterill...Oh! Baby, swift as you like. Phew! time to take it down...Solitariness. And up again with Dippermouth Blues. It had been a typical Alex Welsh session! And out on a Basie swinger, Swingin' the Blues.         
Russell

Set list: New Orleans MasqueradeChinatown, My ChinatownSt Louis BluesDavenport BluesMaple Leaf RagOh! BabySolitarinessDippermouth BluesSwingin' the Blues.     

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