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

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.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Friday, April 08, 2022

An Extremely Good Website by a Very Knowledgeable Writer

I was lying in bed last Saturday rather than going to do the Morpeth Park Run in the wind and rain (around 30 minutes usually, thanks for asking) reading the ‘Going Out, Staying In’ weekly highlights list in the  Grauniad and followed a link that took me to an article about Amy Winehouse. The website was The Honest Broker by Ted Gioia which can be found HERE. Now, I wrote a very enthusiastic review of Gioia’s History of Jazz last year for BSH (which can be found HERE) so I was keen to see his further thoughts on music and other matters.

Needless to say, there is a wide range of interesting articles on there. As well as the Winehouse one  there are others on Michael Brecker, Jessica Williams, Jack Kerouac (for aren’t most of us boppers also Beats at heart?), Charles Mingus, Bill Evans (to name only a few of many) and a very interesting article on the hoax that was Buck Hammer. (You’ll have to read it yourself, no spoilers allowed). His comments are not restricted to jazz music in particular or music in general, but he is a very accomplished writer and argues his points well. Some of the articles are available only to subscribers, but most are free. A pleasure and not a chore to read. I recommend this website to the nation. (It’s not as good as BSH, but then, few things are!!) Dave Sayer

1 comment :

Hugh said...

I bought the first edition of Gioia's book and found it very helpful. It has been pointed out on other fora that the title, The History of Jazz is somewhat presumptious and "A History of Jazz" might have been better!

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