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.

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Album review: Artie Zaitz & Mark Kavuma - Back to Back

Artie Zaitz (Hammond C3); Mark Kavuma (Wurlitzer electric piano, Steinway Grand, trumpet); Will Cleasby (drums)

What do you get when you  when you cross a guitarist with a trumpet player? An organ/piano combo of course!

At least that's what's happened here. Zaitz left his guitar in the boot of his car (hope it's still there) in favour of giving his 1961 C3 a work out.  Kavuma didn't take any such chances, as a precaution, he brought his horn into the studio. Will Cleasby set up his kit and they were off. Both guitarist and trumpet player seemingly equally at home on their respective doublers.

Not surprisingly there's a Blue Note/Prestige feel about most of the tracks although Lockdown Blues brings us bang up to date and Zaitz's bluesy solos indicates just how things were and how, in true British tradition, we masked up and got on with it. The way things are going, those masks could well be replaced by gas masks. 

Kavuma, switched to trumpet for the delightful, yet plaintive, Mia's Waltz. The background to this I think is explained in the notes accompanying the CD. I will elaborate further after I've been to a high street optician where, I'm told by the media, I should already have gone to.

Illegible album notes, or 20-20 vision, what counts is what you hear and I heard good. Lance

Banger Factory Records BF003.

Evidence; Cedar Tree; 'Round Midnight; Lockdown Blues; Mia's Waltz; Church.

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