Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey (to Terence Blanchard): ''You ain't Miles find your own shit to do!'' (DownBeat May, 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

18548 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 412 of them this year alone and, so far this month (May 19) 66

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

May

Mon 25: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 26: Noel Dennis Sextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00. A Miles Davis centenary concert (Davis b. 26. 5. 1926). Noel Dennis (trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums). SOLD OUT!
Tue 26: Lagos to Longbenton @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 27: Neighbourhood Watch + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Rivkala (solo).

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Miles Davis & His Favourite Musicians.
Thu 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 28: Bobby Rush @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. + bf. Veteran USA bluesman.
Thu 28: Squabble @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 28: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.

Sat 30: Giles Strong Quartet @ Langley Tracks, Langley on Tyne NE47 5LA. 5:30pm (doors). £15.00 + £1.50 bf.

Sun 31: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 31: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 31: Sinfonia of London: Tea Dance @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. Free. John Wilson ensemble performing on the concourse. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin & more.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76.
Sun 31: Joe Steels @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free (donations direct to the musicians). Joe Steels & Friends.
Sun 31: Ben Haskins Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Friday, December 02, 2022

Swing Manouche @ BATH - Dec. 2

Mick Shoulder (guitar); Dave Smith (guitar); Martin Winning (clarinet); Paul Grainger (double bass)

Jazz at Bishop Auckland Town Hall chalked up another full house this afternoon and little wonder with Swing Manouche on stage. Mick Shoulder's outfit - Mick guitar, Dave Smith, rhythm guitar, Martin Winning, clarinet, Paul Grainger, string bass - is fast developing into a force to reckoned with in the rarified world of gypsy jazz. 

To a degree, the term 'gypsy jazz' indicates the kind of jazz the listener is likely to hear. It could suggest the Manouche, WWII Hot Club, Django Reinhardt with or without Hubert Rostaing, French musette etc. Here at BATH, Swing Manouche mixed it up with classic Django, a lyrical musette, an original composition or two and a barnstorming finale.

Bandleader Mick Shoulder is, perhaps, better known as a bass player of some renown, but make no mistake, toting a six-string acoustic, he's a match for many of the specialists out there. To his left, Dave Smith is just the kind of rhythm guitarist required on a gig like this. Relatively new to the world of live performance, Dave gets his head down, his band mates beneficiaries of his precision playing. 

Mystérieuse (musette), the standard If I Had You, classic Django with Douce Ambiance, Swing Manouche made a whole bunch of new fans. Bassist Paul Grainger, often heard working in other contexts (straight ahead, contemporary and more), appears to be revelling in the material. Propulsive yet unobtrusive bass playing alongside Dave Smith's spot on timing laid the foundation for Mick and clarinettist Martin Winning to do their thing. And do it they did!

It was in pre-pandemic days when Martin relocated to the region and what an asset he has become to the local scene. In possession of a cast iron technique, Martin adds that something extra, call it 'star quality' and the Laurel Cafe's audience got a taster of it on the set-closing Dark Eyes. Cue sustained applause. 

The date of the first Bishop Auckland Town Hall lunchtime concert in 2023 is to be announced. Russell

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