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.

Saturday, February 04, 2023

Larkin about

The late Philip Larkin, apart from being one of the UK's great literary figures of the 20th century, was also a perceptive and humourous jazz critic and, whilst I don't agree with all of his observations, they do make you smile. Below are a few. Lance

[On authors William L. Grossman & Jack W. Farrell] “Grossman and Farrell are so square they could play snooker with dice” – (The Guardian, November 7, 1958 ). 

“Venuti especially was given to extravagance (he used cheap fiddles so that he could smash them over people's heads).” – (Daily Telegraph, July 10, 1963).

“A tidy little piece entitled 'Haitian Fight Song' sounds about as combative as a tea-cosy" - (Daily Telegraph February 15, 1965.)

"What would happen to the New Wave though, if its bassists and drummers played as horribly as its horn men?" - (Daily Telegraph April 22, 1967).

"Humphrey Lyttleton has compared him [Wild Bill Davison] with the kind of reveller who throws his arms around you one moment and tries to knock you down the next" - (Daily Telegraph June 7 1967).

"Let-Me-Out Department: the Melody Maker now has monthly reviews of Cage, Stockhausen et al. A case for a change of name?" - (Daily Telegraph April 18, 1970).
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