Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18982 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 846 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 8.) 25.

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

October.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Saturday, January 28, 2023

The London Django Collective @ The Piano Bar, Soho, London - Jan. 25

Kourosh Kanani (guitar); Kit Massey (violin); Ducato Petrowski (guitar); Marcus Penrose (double bass)

A first visit for BSH to the the Piano Bar in Soho. Located just off Dean Street, a discreet door to a townhouse, press the bell (no.16) and wait. Once ushered inside, show proof of a reservation and you're escorted to a table. Dimly lit, table service, London prices, the 'first house' would consist of two half hour sets.

Nursing an eight quid 330ml IPA, it took a while for the eyes to adjust to the low level speakeasy lighting. The 'London Django Collective' is what you would expect it to be - all things Django, its members the crème de la crème of the London Hot Club scene. The first set would feature guitarist Kourosh Kanani and violinist Kit Massey. Kanani apologising for his tiredness, having recently returned from a month in India, our man noting the change in temperature! 


All very casual, Kanani (first seen and heard on an edition of Adrian Cox's lockdown Sunday Service) and Massey sat down, and began to play. From I Love You to Norwegian Dance, Swing 42, I Remember April to I'm Confessin', these guys were the business! Our duo sat within touching distance of the audience, seeing, as well as hearing, what Kanani and Massey were doing, was a rare privilege. Quite simply, 'virtuoso' doesn't begin to describe Kanani's (and Massey's) talents. Best note the date, January 25, this set tops the 'Gig of the Year' list.

Second set, Kanani and Massey were joined by guitarist Ducato Petrowski and bassist Marcus Penrose. How High the Moon, yet more excellence, Petrowski supplying the rhythm, contributing classy solos of his own, Penrose another great bass player, the man at the back, unobtrusive, yet authoritative. Cole Porter's What is This Thing Called Love?, all four musicians contributing to the ambience, and, in the week of what would have been Django Reinhardt's 113th birthday (b. 23.1.1910), the London Django Collective closed with Minor Swing. Quite simply, superb. Russell 
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