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

Monday, September 04, 2023

Jazz @ St. James’ and St. Basil’s, Fenham: Hand to Mouth - Sept. 3

Lindsay Hannon (vocals); Bradley Johnston (guitar)

Both Lindsay and Bradley are well known to readers of BSH through their work with various ensembles in the area and wider afield. Recently we have seen Lindsay with her excellent Tom Waits tribute Tom Waits for No Man and Bradley with the also excellent Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord. However, this outing brought them together with their Hand to Mouth collaboration perfect for a sunny afternoon in the beautiful church gardens.

This class collaboration was born of Bradley and Lindsay’s love of the work of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass and several of today's offerings were taken from the album ‘Fitzgerald and Pass…Again' including a beautiful (if slightly premature) version of 'Tis Autumn and a very tender All Too Soon. At one point Lindsay claimed  that she’s not a romantic person but her version of You Stepped Out of a Dream would have melted any hardened heart. However, it wasn’t all ballads I Can’t Give You Anything But Love showed that they could swing like…whatever swings a lot!

Whilst the church garden is a beautiful setting there was always the worry that traffic noise from the adjacent road would overwhelm the gentle ballads and beautiful love songs. Not a bit of it!  Bradley’s intricate guitar solos and Lindsay’s voice rang through and  wrapped the large appreciative  audience in a bubble of beautiful music. It was over All Too Soon and Ms Hannon’s assertion that she is not a romantic person remains open to discussion.

Unfortunately this was the last jazz afternoon offering from St. James’ and St. Basil’s for this summer. Well done Tony Roberts and the team! We look forward to next year. Sylvia T

Songs included: Dindi;  All Too Soon; Nothing But the Blues;  Mean to Me;  Easy Come Easy Go;  I Can’t Give You Anything But Love;  Come Rain or Come Shine;  The Very Thought of You;  Some Other Time;  (In My) Solitude

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