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.

Monday, August 23, 2021

Helen Pillinger and Carole Williams Quintet @ the Railway, Stockport – August 22

Carole Williams (keyboards, trombone, vocals); Paul Hartley (guitar); Peter Hartley (bass guitar); Helen Pillinger (tenor sax); Eryl Roberts (drums)

Last night the group featured was an interesting one in that it included three members of the same family - Carole Williams (keyboards, trombone, vocals); husband Paul Hartley (guitar); and son Peter Hartley (bass guitar).

Helen Pillinger is a fine tenor sax player with a tone and style similar to that of Hank Mobley in his latter-day period. I thought her feature,  Isfahan  from Duke’s Far East Suite, was a great rendition. Looking for information on the internet I see she went to Leeds School of Music (now Conservatoire) and later studied at Salford University. The photo shows Carole and Helen on trombone and tenor respectively at the Railway - date unknown.

Carol Williams also did a fine job on her version of Willow Weep For Me her trombone having a nice round brassy sound which I liked a lot.  The group’s repertoire was interesting containing a Joe Henderson tune as an opener, three Horace Silver compositions, and one by Jaco Pastorius called Two Views of a Secret that I had not heard before.  The band got into a Latin groove on Ivan Lins' tune Madalena  which had Carole playing keyboard and singing a wordless vocal alongside the theme. This group is certainly unusual in its approach and I must give a mention to the young bass player Peter Hartley who did everything that was required. 

Eryl Roberts again played some wonderful stuff on drums and I would be surprised if he doesn’t turn up tomorrow (August 24) when Paul Hartley’s Quartet features another important member of the Syd Lawrence Orchestra - Mike Hope on tenor sax. Mike Farmer

Recorda me; Looking up; Two Views of a Secret; Strollin;  Silver’s Serenade; Willow Weep For Me; Any Song But My Own; Tom Thumb; Madalena; Isfahan,;Come Escape With Me; Filthy McNasty.

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