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, December 28, 2022

Album review: John Escreet - Seismic Shift

John Escreet (piano); Eric Revis (double bass); Damion Reid (drums)

John Escreet has lived and worked in America for something like fifteen years. For much of this time the Yorkshireman made New York his home, more recently relocating to Los Angeles. It was during pandemic lockdown out on the West Coast that pianist Escreet applied himself to rigorous practice on a recently acquired grand piano. The result, says Escreet: I essentially became a much better piano player. The results can be heard on this January 2022 recording.

Nine tracks with a total playing time of a little under fifty two minutes, Seismic Shift is Escreet's first album leading a trio. His sidemen on this session - bassist Eric Revis and drummer Damion Reid - just happen to be based in Los Angeles, making for a fortuitous meeting of like minds. Study No.1 opens in a tumult, Escreet's technique quite dazzling. The title track, number seven in the running order, is similarly dazzling, teaming with ideas, Revis and Reid more than up to the mark. Across the album of improvised sections, written parts, free playing, percussive piano, percussive drumming, an insistent bassline, lyrical elements, Escreet somehow manages to pull it altogether on this Whirlwind Recording. Russell       

Seismic Shift by John Escreet is available from Whirlwind Recordings (WR4793). 

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