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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

My Dream Team – Ann Alex

I've had such fun thinking about this!

I'm not all that familiar with the musicians of the past so I'm mostly sticking to local people. We are very lucky to have loads of talented musicians right on our doorsteps.

The team is:

Piano Alan Law – I've sung with Alan and  can vouch for what an empathetic accompanist he is.

Bass   Paul Grainger – Who else would you choose?

Guitar  Steve Glendinning – An adventurous guitarist if ever there was one.

Drums  Clark Tracey – The local drummer I wanted has now retired so someone famous will have to do.  A very clever, subtle drummer.

Sax Steve Summers – Because of all sax players he's the one who, to my ears, relates best to the tune and chords. You never lose a sense of the song he's playing.

Singers  I want 2 singers, one for serious stuff and one for more fun songs.

Billie Holiday will be resurrected for the serious songs (God Bless The Child and Strange Fruit)

Dave Weisser will sing amusing songs such as I Can't Get Started and You're The Top.

I fancy myself as an arranger so we'll begin with a drum solo, (why be conventional?). And no fours at all!

God Bless The Child could be done to just sax and cymbals, nothing else.

Strange Fruit could be sung to drums alone, ominous beats.

Dave would know best about his songs as he does a lovely version of I Can't Get Started.

A quintet of instrumentalists so it wouldn't be all ensemble playing and not everyone would have a solo in each piece.

Anyone want to take me on as an arranger? Don't all rush at once! Ann Alex

2 comments :

Lance said...

Ann - I Can't Get Started is a song of unrequited love - strange that you find it amusing!

Ann Alex said...

It's amusing, I think on purpose, because of all the examples given of how the potential lover has done so many things eg 'The North Pole I have charted; In England I'm presented at court' with amusing rhymes and unbelievable feats. Dave W does it well

Blog Archive