Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18767 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 631 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 31) 95.

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

Mon 03: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 03: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 04: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 06: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 06: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guest Zoë Gilby.
Thu 06: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 06: Bridget Metcalfe Sextet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 08: ???

Sun 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Ropner Park, Stockton. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: The Gambling Janes @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Monday, July 26, 2021

Munch Manship Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - July 25

Munch Manship (tenor sax); Andrzej Baranek (keys); Grant Russell (bass); Dave Tyas (drums).*

I watched a news item on Sunday concerning an unexploded World War 2 bomb found in a building site in Goole, Yorkshire. The Army came in and blew it up, which was a quite spectacular event.

Another explosive event occurred at the Railway on Sunday evening when saxman Munch Manship together with a first-rate backing trio arrived ready to cook up a storm, and they did!

On keyboard was the superb Andrzej Baranek on brilliant form as always.  Grant Russell was on bass and was playing one of those large triangular instruments. In the drum chair was Dave Tyas who big band fans may recall led the Shades Jazz Orchestra which used to be known as the Shades of Kenton Orchestra.

By the time the music started the room was almost full, which was good to see. Although Munch is an excellent flautist, he chose to play tenor sax throughout.     

Munch is a man who started getting interested in the saxophone quite early in life, taking lessons from the late great Ron Aspery. He then played as a professional musician in various bands around Manchester and, in his twenties, toured extensively with the Eric Delaney Band throughout the UK and Europe. He spent some time in London, then returned to Manchester where he did theatre work, played in radio bands and in the eighties toured around UK and Europe backing the likes of The Four Tops, Shirley Bassey, Roy Orbison etc.

Chatting with Munch at the end of the gig I got to check out his tenor, a beautiful Selmer Mk 6. He told me he had been playing it for about ten years and it originally belonged to Alan Fawkes, another great sax master.

I look forward to hearing him again in the near future.

Tomorrow (July 27) at the Railway another local jazz hero Freddy Garner will be there with his quartet. Mike Farmer

* Photo is from a 2014 gig at the Railway with the late Vinnie Parker on keyboards.

Have You Met Miss Jones; Only Trust Your Heart;  St Thomas;  In a Sentimental Mood; Good Bait; Airegin; Jordu;  Autumn Leaves; Along Came Betty;The Jamfs Are Coming; Joy Spring.

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