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.

Friday, November 05, 2021

National Saxophone Day

Matt Fripp reminds me that tomorrow (Nov.6) is National Saxophone Day and he has asked 60 pro saxophonists to name the first saxophone album that inspired them to take up the instrument.

The results, which are quite interesting can be found here.

At the risk of being accused of plagiarism, I'd like to ask our readers what was the first sax album or maybe just a single track that inspired them. 

I know it's a near impossible task but one album that sticks in my mind is Ellington at Newport 1956. Not just for Paul Gonsalves' marathon solo on Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue but also for Johnny Hodges on Jeep's Blues. Two very different performances but equally inspiring. Lance

4 comments :

Chris Kilsby said...

Spinning forward a few years...and skipping over Wayne Shorter's Weather Report contributions and the wonderful Barbara Thompson live, ..., Michael Brecker's playing on Abercrombie's 1984 album Night opened my ears to the full potential of the tenor sax....especially 3 East, A live version is at https://youtu.be/JzipYzuDHo4

Mike Farmer said...

One LP that had a huge impact on me was Our Man In Paris by Dexter Gordon on Blue Note mono. I still think it takes some beating!

Patrick said...

I do hope I'm not lowering the tone, but Chuck Rio (Danny Flores) on "Tequila" really made a impression on me. I still can't emulate it.

Steve Andrews said...

Bud Freeman's 1935 Windy City Five record of his composition "The Buzzard", on an MFP LP I bought at 13 in 1967. Wild then and still wild now!

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