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 29, 2021

Live from Emmet's Place (Vol. 80) - Dec. 27

Emmet Cohen (piano); Russell Hall (double bass); Kyle Poole (drums) w. Brianna Thomas (vocals)

Throughout lockdown Emmet Cohen has presented a series of world class concerts from Emmet's Place, that's pianist Cohen's NYC apartment. More or less every Monday evening Cohen's trio (invariably Russell Hall and Kyle Poole) working with one or two special guests confounds expectations. How can these guys be so darn good?!!!


A stupendous Christmas medley warmed up the trio, then Cohen introduced his guest saying: We have one of the great vocalists of our time in the house. Enter Brianna Thomas. Cohen and Thomas first worked together some ten years ago. Thanks to the pandemic, this evening's meeting was their first in a while. A daringly slow tempo take on All of Me set the standard. What a singer! Ms Thomas is the complete package: a great range, elements of Betty Carter, Ella (scatting), Sarah, a hint of Cécile McLorin Salvant and no small measure of Brianna Thomas.

As Thomas introduced her song Lovin' Attitude, drummer Kyle Poole took the mic to declare Thomas' hand-written charts were the best he'd ever seen. Ms Thomas revealed that at music school students were graded on the presentation of their charts. Now there's discipline for you! The Emmet's Place trio and Thomas went out on C.C. Rider. You tell 'em girl!  

GASbook numbers, a low down dirty blues, trio and vocalist swinging like nobody's business, if Cohen and co were ever to turn up in concert in BSH's heartland (Tyneside and the wider region) the audience wouldn't let them go without at least three encores, maybe more! Russell

Brianna Thomas' set list: All of Me; In a Mellow ToneSo in LoveMy Stove's in Good ConditionI've Got a Crush on YouBye, Bye Blackbird; FeverThe Christmas SongMistyYou Leave Me BreathlessLovin' AttitudeC.C. Rider.  

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