Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 821 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 30.) 100.

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

October.

Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Murray Oak, Paul Grainger, John Bradford.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. First night of two.

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 07: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Northern Stage, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman stage play inspired by Nina Simone. Second night of two.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 08: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 08: Indigo Jazz Voices w. Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Saturday, May 08, 2021

Wild Card featuring Leo Richardson & Graeme Flowers livestreaming from the 606 Club - May 8

(Screenshot by Lance)
Clement Regert (guitars); Andy Noble (B3); Leo Richardson (tenor sax); Graeme Flowers (trumpet); Eric Ford (drums).

It began with a disappointment, Sophie Alloway was ill and couldn't make the gig and a last minute dep was recruited. Eric Ford didn't have Sophie's blonde tresses, in actual fact he didn't have any tresses at all, but he did have comparable technique and he slotted in well with the rest of the pack (Wild Card, pack, get it?).

This was yet another super 606 Club session. Some great grooves, some hard blowing as well as some tender moments that made the 90 minutes seem to flash past in under an hour and a half.

(Screenshot by Lance)
Masterminding it all was French guitarist Clement Regert who composed many of the tunes as well as delivering some tasteful solos, alternating between a nylon-strung semi electro/acoustic and a more traditional jazz guitar. He sounded good on both, the softer tone of the former contrasting nicely with the sharper sound of the latter. I'm a bit out of touch with guitar terminology these days so maybe Roly or Maurice will tell me more from the photos.

Out front the two horns were blowing as if they were at Rudy Van Gelder's laying down some tracks for Blue Note or Prestige. One number, it may have been called Bravid, had Richardson and Flowers trading eights with no quarter given. Tremendous!

On Hammond, Noble tread the path that so many great organists have to the extent that Regert called him Doctor, it could just have easily been Groove or Brother or Jimmy. I checked him out and he is a BA(Music) which maybe trumps being merely a Groove.

An absolutely superb session. I didn't catch the leader's announcements clearly enough to provide a set list but, I hope, from the above you'll pick up on the good vibes that were generated, as they usually are, from 606. Lance

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