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.

Friday, March 18, 2022

JATLP: Hand to Mouth @ the Lit & Phil, Newcastle - March 18

Lindsay Hannon (vocal); Bradley Johnston (guitar).

What can I say that myself and others haven't already said about Lindsay and Brad, a.k.a Hand to Mouth? Their take on the legendary albums by Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass would surely have won approval from the two greats themselves.

The numbers vary very little. Reshuffled, occasionally an additional nuance but, in the main, the duo have discovered a winning formula which would most surely disappoint their followers if they changed it.

Both are subtle, sensitive performers capturing the essence of lyric and melody. Lindsay, possibly more than even Ella did, gets to the heart of the tune conveying the meaning as if the song had been composed with her in mind.

Brad captures the style of Joe Pass equally well. He even played a couple of transcriptions of Joe Pass' solos. I was sitting up front and, take it from me, this was fly shit notation!

As they did at the Globe a couple of weeks back, they finished with Some Other Time. Sung and played so beautifully and emotionally that nothing could possibly follow it although some of the less sensitive were shouting for more!

Good to see the room full to capacity. Proof of intelligent programming. Lance

The Very Thought of  You; Take Love Easy; All Too Soon;I Ain't Got Nothing but the Blues; These Foolish Things; Come Rain or come Shine; I'm a Fool to Want you; (In my) Solitude; Nature Boy; Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You; Down With Love; Some Other Time.

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