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, November 07, 2022

Sunday Night @ the Globe: Jo Harrop and Jamie McCredie - Nov. 6

(© Debra Milne)
Jo Harrop (vocals); Jamie McCredie (guitar).

The room was crowded. Theatre style seating at the front, cabaret style further back. All were occupied. I bagged a chair at the last table any latecomers had to stand - that's how popular this gig was, and deservedly so.

I've waxed eloquently over these two artists many times over the years both as a duo and individually and tonight, as always, they lived up to and maybe even exceeded my expectations.

Jo, perched atop a bar stool, Jamie, closer to Mother Earth, gave us a well-balanced mix of standards and originals from her various albums plus a tantalising glimpse of a new album in the form of Burton Lane's Too Late Now which was originally sung by Jane Powell in the film 'Royal Wedding' which, by sheer coincidence is being shown on Talking Pictures as I type (9:30am-11:20am). It's the film where Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling and he and Powell duet on what, at the time, was the longest title ever (it may still be) - How Could You Believe me When I Said I Loved You When You Know I've Been a Liar All my Life?  However, by the time you read this it will probably be 'too late now' to watch the film.

It, Too Late Now, is a beautiful song and Jo gives it just the right amount of emotion aided and abetted by Jamie's empathetic accompaniment.

What a Little Moonlight Can Do had the audience oo-oo-ooing rather like they're incited to do on Minnie the Moocher which, I'm pleased to say isn't in this duo's repertoire!

Of the originals, Red Mary Janes and a Brand New Hat is a favourite of mine but in truth they are all good songs. Jamie's solo feature Night Butterfly went down well. He gets a great, almost unique sound.

I left on Billie's Blues, a song that Jo has probably sung more times than Ms Holiday herself ever did. My departure was no reflection on the performers but trains and boats and planes, not to mention buses, wait for no one. To misquote from the number that closed the first set - it had all been fine and dandy - come back soon. Lance

KEN DREW's PHOTO ALBUM.

I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues; What the Heart Wants; Home; Too Late Now; Lover; Night Butterfly; I Think You'd Better Go; Fine and Dandy; Red Mary Janes and a Brand New Hat; You Must Believe in Spring; Charade; Only Spring Will Decide; What a Little Moonlight Can Do; In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning; I Want a Little Sugar in my Bowl; Take it With me; Guilty/ Billie's Blues.

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