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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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.

Monday, September 13, 2021

Album review: Roseanna Vitro w. Bob Dorough, Sheila Jordan, Marion Cowing - Sing a Song of Bird

That I would receive two recordings by Sheila Jordan within a few days brings to mind the phrase Manna from Heaven. Fortunately Sheila is still with us but Bob Dorough isn't and nor is the inspiration for this fine album - Charlie Parker.

Although the album is in Vitro's name - herself a long established, and very fine, American jazz singer - there is plenty space for Bob and Sheila as well as a relative newcomer Marion Cowing.

All the numbers, apart from These Foolish Things where Vitro, Jordan and Dorough are all featured, are based around well known Parker themes and have great vocals and solos by pro-ornithologists in the form of Gary Bartz, Mark Gross, Alan Broadbent and Jason Teborek.

Sheila's chorus on These Foolish Things is guaranteed to put goosebumps on goosebumps and Bob Dorough's croaky vocal reminds us of just what a great performer we lost. He was truly one of the greats as of course is Sheila and the man who they were celebrating.

On Quasimodo Sheila sings 'they made a movie about Charlie Parker and they called it  'Bird'. Well thank you Clint Eastwood for making my day' - magic! Lance

Check it out here

1 comment :

Dave Brownlow said...

My album of the month - ANY month! ANY year !

Thanks Lance for typically quirky review !

Dave Brownlow

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