Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Robin Sunflower Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - Jan. 16

Robin Sunflower (harmonica, vocals); Robin Dewhurst (piano); Adrian Ingram (guitar); Steve Lunn (bass guitar)

This turned out to be another drummerless line-up with the house piano once again being played by a very fine musician, Robin Dewhurst who was last here in Suzanne Fonseca’s band.  On guitar was a man well known to guitarists here and abroad, Adrian Ingram, who was heavily featured throughout the evening.

Ingram seemed very much at home in Sunflower’s band which certainly covers a wide range of music from  tunes made famous in the Dixieland era such as Darktown Strutters’ Ball to the Latin classic Sway.

I think the numbers that appealed to me most were a number that I recall being made popular by singer Frankie Laine, I’ve Got the World on a String and Bluesette the tune written by harmonica genius Toots Thielmans.  This latter tune reminded me of a trip to Ronnie Scott’s many years ago to see the Illinois Jacquet group where the organist Milt Buckner thrilled the audience with his version of Bluesette.

One thing I was not too thrilled about concerned the sound which was a touch on the heavy side. OK for the harmonica but not for the vocals where it was sometimes hard to make out the words. Or it could be my hearing that is failing or perhaps a separate mic for the vocals might have been the answer.

Still the night went down well with the assembled jazz fans some of which had been absent recently having had to isolate due to Covid.

The next jazz night at the Railway is tonight Jan. 18 with the Simone Manunza Trio. Mike Farmer

Take the A Train; Song For my Father. God Bless the Child; I’ve Got the World on a String; Bluesette; Sway; Darktown Strutters’ Ball; Mood Indigo; Hello Little Sunflower; Body and Soul; Cantaloupe Island; Caravan.

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