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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

April

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.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Zoë Gilby & Johnny Hunter @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Sunday, October 31, 2021

Album review: Greg Abate Quartet - Time for Dave: A tribute to Dave Brubeck.

On Thursday Oct.28 I was hoping to attend Greg Abate’s first gig of his extensive UK tour at the Davenham Theatre, Cheshire and was looking forward to doing a review of the concert for Bebop Spoken Here. However, due to circumstances beyond my control, mainly terrible monsoon-like weather and dangerous road conditions I had to reluctantly abort my journey.

Fortunately Greg and the members of his backing trio made it to the theatre and the show went ahead as planned. See photo sent to me by Greg.

The next day I met up with Greg and asked him how things went and he told me it was a great gig and attracted an audience of seventy two to the small venue. Here are my thoughts on a CD that Greg recorded in 2013 and having just played it, it sounds a good as any of his later albums. 

Greg Abate (alto/soprano sax); Mike Levine (piano); Todd Baker or Dave Zinno (bass); Gary Johnson (drums)

I have always liked Brubeck. When I was a teenager I used to go to a local hop and the music was rock and roll or pop but the guy who played the records was a Brubeck fan and used to play lots of his music and of course that is when I got to hear the great Paul Desmond. Jazz at Oberlin was one I used to ask him to play and people danced to it!

Greg’s version of It’s a Raggy Waltz I like as he plays soprano on this. The supporting trio are all new names to me but they all do a fantastic job and the pianist Mike Levine in particular contributes some interesting solos   Dave Zinno plays bass on I Do Love You; Blue Moon and The Duke.

Dave in Rimouski is the only Abate composition and I must ask Greg about the significance of the intriguing title. The opening tune In Your Own Sweet Way has some great alto work and is further evidence that Greg Abate is a  bebopper beyond compare.

In Your Own Sweet Way; It’s A Raggy Waltz; Dave in Rimouski; I Do Love You;Take Five; Mr Broadway; Someday; Blue Moon; The Duke.

The next time Greg is up north will be Nov. 3 at the Lescar Sheffield. Tonight, barring mishaps I will be at the Railway, Stockport to catch drummer Tim Franks’ Quartet. Mike Farmer

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