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, August 10, 2022

Paul Hartley Quartet w. Gair Carson @ the Railway, Stockport - Aug. 9

(© Jeff Pritchard)
Paul Hartley (guitar); Gair Carson  (alto/tenor sax/flutes); Pete Hartley (bass guitar); Eryl Roberts (drums).

Gair Carson brought with him two saxophones and two flutes so I guess I would be correct in describing him as a multi-instrumentalist. I have seen him many times sitting in the sax section of various local big bands and I remember seeing him playing in one of the three west coast octet groups that operate in the north west area. I believe he took part recently in a band that was a tribute to the late Dave Pell here at the Railway but I missed this due to a conflict of engagements.

Judging by his selection of tunes he seems to have a pretty wide taste in music and during this gig we heard numbers by Wes Montgomery, Freddie Hubbard, Sergio Mendes, Benny Golson, Sam Jones, Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington as well as a few standards. One tune that I thought worked well was Red Top which I think was a big hit for Lionel Hampton during the big band era. Another one I enjoyed was a tune that was new to me, I Can’t Last a Day Without You, on which Gair elected to play alto flute. I think the last time I heard this instrument live may well have been when I saw Jimmy Giuffre  at the Band On The Wall way back when the Manchester jazz scene was really buzzing. 

                   

Peter Hartley, who is the son of guitarist Paul Hartley, did a great job tonight and, together with drummer Eryl Roberts, coped with some unfamiliar and challenging material. 


Once again it was another successful evening of modern jazz at the Railway. The next jazz night is on Sunday August 14 with Munch Manship. Mike Farmer.

 

It’s You or no One; Up Jumped Spring; Groovy Samba; Warm Valley; You Stepped Out of a Dream; Red Top; I Can’t Last a Day Without You; All by Myself; Del Sasser; Far Wes; Só Danço Samba; 'Round Midnight; Jingles.

No comments :

Blog Archive