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, October 11, 2021

Richard Wetherall Trio @ the Railway, Stockport - Oct. 10

Richard Wetherall (piano); Ed Harrison (bass); Eryl Roberts (drums).

One thing that I have noticed about jazz events at the Railway is that most of the four or five piece bands that play there get through maybe ten to twelve numbers. However, this Sunday evening the piano-led trio of Richard Wetherall played a total of fifteen tunes! A varied selection containing a couple of Strayhorn ballads, bebop classics by Miles, Monk, and Parker plus some numbers with a strong Latin influence.  At the start of the concert Richard mentioned he had already played two gigs one of which was in Marsden. Yorkshire but during the first tune tonight, a fast Make Someone Happy he showed no sign of the tiredness that he’d referred to previously.

The highlights for me were many but I liked his version of the Ray Bryant tune Cubano Bop which is a challenge for bass and drums although Ed and Eryl were well up to the task. I used to own an EP of Bryant playing this tune and, if I recall correctly, Jo Jones did some fantastic drum work. Another high spot was in the second set when Richard really took off into some abstract stuff on an up-tempo Milestones. At the end of the number he mentioned how much he liked the late Don Pullen - another pianist who died too young.  

The only tune I thought I could have done without was the Thad Jones composition A Child Is Born  but this soon morphed into a breakneck  Moose the Mooche, bringing this evening to a very satisfying conclusion. I look forward to a return visit by this excellent trio.  

The next jazz night at the Railway is tomorrow, Tuesday Oct. 12, with the Paul Hartley Quartet featuring saxman Rod Mason   Admission Free 9:00pm-11:00pm – Mike Farmer.

Make Someone Happy; Cubano Bop; El Ceilo; The Mountain; Moonlight In Vermont; Bye Bye Blackbird; Straight No Chaser; I Love You; A Flower is a Lovesome Thing; Lotus Blossom; Carioca; Team ACL; Milestones; A Child is Born; Moose the Mooche.

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