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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Saturday, July 02, 2022

The Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ The Blues, Jazz & Swing Festival. The Exchange, North Shields - July 1

(© The Exchange)
Niffi Osiyemi (vocals). Alan Law (piano)  Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar)

This was the first of a whole smorgasbord of music at The Exchange this weekend and what a way to start. The theme of the evening was ‘Speakeasy’ and while feather boas and headdresses were not obligatory, there were a few who rose to the occasion, none more so than NIffi herself who was indeed dressed to impress.

On this occasion Niffi’s brother, who has just this week followed in his sister's footsteps and qualified as a doctor (congratulations) stood in for regular bassist Paul  Grainger who was engaged at a  jazz gig elsewhere.  Ifede Osiyemi is known for his work with Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra and, also from that campus, the Bold Big Band but on this occasion he was there to do his sister proud as was Alan Law on piano who since his retirement from his day job has been seen more and more frequently at the piano, most recently backing Ruth Lambert at a sell out gig at The Lit and Phil.

But back to the Speakeasy at The Exchange.

(© The Exchange)
The place was packed and the crowd was  loud, raucous and appreciative as befits a Niffi gig and it wasn’t long before they were on their feet shaking their whatevers...

Stand out moments for me: piano solos galore but particularly on Why Don’t You do Right? Bass solos too on After You’ve Gone and Niffi's top form scatting  on a couple of numbers.

The festival at The Exchange continues today and Sunday. All events are free - just turn up and throw some money in the bucket to support their first Blues, Jazz and Swing Festival. Sylvia T

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore; They All Laughed; Someone to Watch Over me; Is You is or is You Ain’t My Baby?; Let’s do it (Let’s Fall in Love); I’m Beginning to See the Light; Honeysuckle Rose; Making Whoopee;  Undecided; Why Don’t You do Right?; After You’ve Gone; Darktown Strutters Ball;  It Don’t Mean a Thing.

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