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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

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

Sunday, June 18, 2023

Dean Stockdale Trio @ St James' & St Basil's, Fenham (via Newport Jazz Festival) - June 18

(© Pam)
Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

An afternoon session, particularly in the open air, never fails to bring to my mind that legendary movie, Jazz on a Summer's Day.

The similarities were there. The cool, laid back, jazz by Stockdale's trio brought Oscar Peterson to mind. I don't think Oscar was actually at Newport that year (how remiss of them) but, thanks to Dean he is now.

In the film the musicians on stage had to compete with some kind of boat race - yachts being one of the residents of Newport R.I.'s toys. Here in the grounds of the Fenham church the distractions were the passing buses and the psycho, electro, Deliveroo boys bringing a Sunday lunch to those who'd given cook the day-off.

Still, the Newport atmosphere was good. The audience, probably more concerned as to whether or not they should have brought an umbrella, Dean wishing he'd brought some clothes' pegs with him to deal with the prevailing winds whilst I wondered if I'd be struck by a bolt of lightning when I passed through the portals of this most impressive building - let's face it, the guys/gals who built these places of worship had the edge on those who designed our current places of worship such as shopping centres and football stadiums. I also imagined that, maybe in my mind I'd hear Mahalia singing The Lords Prayer?

Then again, perhaps, in my dreams, I would I encounter Sylvia, Chris, Patti or Pam wearing a picture hat and singing Tea For Two?

Apologies for this long digression but when you have a trio of this calibre words fail you, all you can do is sit back, relax and enjoy the music. Lance

These Are Soulful Days; Falling in Love With Love; Joy Spring; Bossa Beguine; Elaine; Have You Met Miss Jones?; Night Train.

2 comments :

Sylvia said...

You provide the hat…I will provide the vocals…😘😘

Patti said...

I have the hat - but you wouldn't want to hear my vocals!

Blog Archive