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, March 30, 2022

Paul Hartley Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - March 29

(© Jeff Pritchard)
Paul Hartley  (guitar); Phil Nicholas (trumpet); Ben Wiltshire (bass); Eryl Roberts (drums).

 Recently we have heard at the Railway quite a few saxophonists as featured guests but tonight Paul was joined by young trumpeter Phil Nicholas who some readers may have seen playing in the UK tribute band Nearly Dan. He has a big brassy sound and right away got things going in a Latin jazz mode with that classic Mongo Santamaria composition Afro-Blue. The second number was Stella By Starlight , a tune I’m not too keen on as it does get played too often in my opinion. However Nicholas did a great job and he continued to impress me throughout the night. 

It was good to see Eryl Roberts back after recovering from Covid and he played some great solos. Paul Hartley likes to introduce the tunes and before the band played the tune Dig he invited the audience to guess what tune this was based on. I was correct on my second guess which was Sweet Georgia Brown . The Horace Silver composition Quicksilver was also based on the same tune I believe.


There was one number that the band played in the second set that I had not heard before and that was Midnight Mood from the pen of Joe Zawinul. The show finished with the Sonny Rollins blues Sonnymoon for Two; and everyone agreed it was another great night of modern jazz at the Railway. The next jazz night here is Sunday April 3 with saxman Mike Hall. Mike Farmer

 

Afro-Blue; Stella By Starlight; My Little Suede Shoes; Dig Sandu; Softly as in a Moning Sunrise; Up Jumped Spring; You’re My Everything; Midnight Mood;  Sonnymoon For Two;

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