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.

Monday, July 18, 2022

Calvert and the Old Fools @ Dorman's Middlesbrough July 14

Sam Calvert (drums); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Andrew Meadowcroft (vocals/trumpet); Tony Wood (double bass).

Most of the audience knew not to take the band's title too literally.  A night of first class entertaining jazz was delivered by a band who clearly enjoy playing together.

Andrew's fine singing was featured on all but one number in the first set which began with Have You Met Miss Jones? Excellent solos from Richie and Dean backed by Sam's drums and Tony's bass set the style for the night. 

A Foggy Day and Moonlight in Vermont followed with nice trumpet solos from Andrew.

A lovely ballad, sensitively played and sung, I Can't Remember Love, taken from The Queen's Gambit (Netflex), then lively versions of Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered and Love Me or Leave Me, before Richie stepped down leaving the quartet to play Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out. Nicely sung with a moving bluesy piano solo. Richie returned for Gerry Mulligan's Walkin’ Shoes and the set closed with Billy Joel's New York State of Mind.

A swinging  Almost Like Being in Love, Ray Charles’ Hallelujah I Just Love Her So and the classic Cole Porter song Night And Day, led to a favourite of mine, Donald Fagan’s Walk Between The Raindrops.

An original composition of Andrew's, Merry Go Round, was nicely played as was No Moon at All.

The evening came to a close with an excellent version On the Street Where You Live.

Many compliments came from the audience on the choice arrangements and the fine playing of the musicians making this an excellent guest band night.

Thanks as usual go to Dorman’s Club for their support in running the jazz night. Ron H

1 comment :

Lance said...

Who dreamt that name up?

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