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.

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Derrick Harris Trio @ The Railway, Stockport - Dec. 21

Derrick Harris (guitar); Dean Stockdale(keys); Paul Smith (drums).

This month has been great for jazz guitar fans with no less than four guitar-led acts being booked to play the Railway. Tonight, on what was the last jazz night of this year, we heard the Derrick Harris Trio featuring Dean Stockdale on a Nord Stage 2 keyboard giving the group a sound which reminded me of a Wes Montgomery LP that he made for Riverside in 1959 with Melvin Rhyne on organ and Paul Parker on drums.


In the first set Derrick played Horace Silver's Ecaroh  (Horace spelt backwards} which was helped along with some powerful drumming from Paul Smith.


Harris was using a very impressive looking instrument made by Robert Sandowsky, a New York City manufacturer and repairer who started up in 1979 and has had some high-profile clients such as Marcus Miller and Jim Hall. 


Derrick certainly knows how to pick a varied selection of tunes and I liked his treatment of Willow Weep For Me and also Twisted Blues another Wes Montgomery composition.


Although this was the final jazz gig this year, the good news is that Ray Ford the jazz-loving landlord at the Railway has already published flyers for January 2022 and the first gig next year is on Jan 2 and will feature the saxophonist Mike Hall.


I’d like to wish everyone a very merry Xmas and best wishes for the new year and keep on supporting live jazz. Mike Farmer.

 

Street of Dreams; Ecaroh; Willow Weep For Me. Five Pies. Emily; Samba de Orpheus; I’ll Catch You; Shiny Stocking; Chat; Twisted Blues; Surrey With The Fringe On Top; Wexford Carol.

2 comments :

Derrick Harris said...

Thanks for that, Lance. A Happy Christmas, and all the best for the New Year.
Best wishes
Derrick

Lance said...

Xmas greetings to you too Derrick but, don't thank me, thank Mike Farmer, our Man in the North West.

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