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, May 29, 2023

Album review: Javon Jackson - "With Peter Bradley"

Javon Jackson (tenor sax); Jeremy Manasia (piano); David Williams (bass); Greg Glassman (trumpet on 7 tks); Charles Goold (drums on 12 tks); McClenty Hunter (drums on 4 tks)

Jazz and the movies have had a chequered career - Anatomy of a Murder and Lift to the Scaffold are a couple of the better ones that spring to mind. However, With Peter Bradley, going by the TRAILER, this 90 minute documentary looks to be something extra special and, even if it isn't, the soundtrack alone will be worth price of the popcorn and so much more if it ever hits your local fleapit (those were the days!)

Basically, the movie is a portrait of the vastly under-recognised 79-year-old black abstract artist Peter Bradley. 

Bradley loves jazz and some of his idols are Miles, Trane and Blakey so, as Jackson spent several years working with the latter's Jazz Messengers, he was a natural to provide the soundtrack.

And what a soundtrack! It's the Messengers recreated. Gutsy tenor from Jackson, cutting edge trumpet by Glassman on seven of the sixteen tracks and a cracking rhythm section.

It's a must, from both an audio and a visual aspect.

I don't care whether it is the big screen, the small screen or on my smart phone (let's see how smart it is) I want to see this one so, until it shows at Everyman, Tyneside Cinema, Netflex or BBC4 or wherever I'll live in hope that eventually I'll hit lucky.

Going by the CD and the trailer, I'm guessing that jazz, art and cinema have never had such a wonderful ménage à trois as this before. Lance

The album is released on June 16. The film date will be announced when known or, if you find out first then put me wise.

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