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

18395 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 259 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 30 ), 69

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

March

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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.

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Joey DeFranceso plays the Van Gelder Studio organ - May 15/16

(Screenshot by Russell)
Joey DeFrancesco (organ); Peter Bernstein (guitar); Billy Hart (drums); Houston Person(tenor sax)

Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, home to the Van Gelder Studio. This evening's live stream, or rather a re-stream, the original stream going online across North America late Saturday/early Sunday, featured Joey DeFranceso playing the Van Gelder Hammond B3. 

(Screenshot by Russell)
Down the years the famous vaulted building has hosted many of the biggest names in the business - Miles, Monk, Trane and, of course, the Hammond B3 masters. Larry Young's Tyrone opened the show, the instrumentalists heard to great effect. The one surprise was a malfunctioning PA mic. Studio MD Don Sickler spoke first and the man was all but inaudible. A top line studio, in-house engineers, how did it go so wrong?! However, the music was all important and DeFrancesco positively revelled in playing the B3. To his left, the renowned Peter Bernstein, guitar, to his right, drummer Billy Hart. It doesn't get much better than that! 

The classic Hammond-guitar sound didn't disappoint as DeFrancesco and Bernstein knocked out a succession of blues-drenched numbers...Moanin'One for RudyJ.O.S.. The trio's special guest, Houston Person, blew great laid back, gutsy tenor on Our Miss Brooks, Don Patterson's Aries (Sonny Stitt recorded the number with its composer) and the set closer, Soft Winds
Russell

Set list: TyroneMoanin'Our Miss BrooksAriesOne for RudyRithaJ.O.S.Soft Winds

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