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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

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.

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Thursday, October 05, 2023

Album review: Alex Riel - In New York

CD 1: Michael Brecker (tenor sax tks 1,3); Jerry Bergonzi (tenor sax tks 1,3,4,7,8,9); Mike Stern (guitar tks 2,5,6,7); Niels Lan Doky (piano tks 3.4.5.8); Eddie Gomez (bass); Alex Riel (drums).

CD 2: Michael Brecker (tenor sax tks 1,2); Jerry Bergonzi (tenor sax tks 1,2,3,4,7,8,9); Mike Stern (guitar tks 2,7,8); Kenny Werner (piano tks 1,2,3,4,7,8); Chris Minh Doky (bass); Alex Riel (drums).

A welcoming double CD reissue of two albums led by legendary Danish drummer Riel who is regarded by many as Denmark's most successful jazz musician next to NHØP.

Recorded in New York in 1997 and 1999, both discs have Brecker and Bergonzi at their explosive best - particularly when the two are in tandem. However, it isn't all blood and thunder as their take on Ben Webster's Did You Call Her Today? proves. They play more notes than Ben would have chosen to albeit without Webster's sumptuous sound.

Nevertheless, both players are at the top of their game and the tracks where they share centre stage the comparisions are interesting. Brecker perhaps the more freer, Bergonzi only slightly less outré, both of them extending the range of the instrument beyond Adolphe Sax's wildest dreams - maybe even Illinois Jacquet's! 

Bergonzi is more controlled on his own Committed, a truly exquisite ballad performance, just one of the seven originals he contributed.

Mike Stern offers contrast with some fine guitar solos plus an original and Werner and Doky do likewise with the latter combining with Riel for the final track.

There's an apocryphal saying that Brecker, when asked what it felt like too be the finest jazz saxophonist in the world, replied: "I don't know, ask Jerry Bergonzi".

Riel solos effectively and unaccompanied on In my Own "Sweets" Way.

Werner seduces the listener with a trio version of I Fall in Love Too Easily. Some nice bass too from Doky.

Overall, an exciting double album that goes to the edge but doesn't fall off. There's lots of sensitivity too. It's out on Stunt Records on October 20. Worth checking out. Lance 

CD 1: Gecko Plex; He's Dead Too; On Again Off Again; Amethyst; Bruze; Moment's Notice; Channeling; Invisible Light; Unriel.

CD 2: Did You Call Her Today?; Bessie's Blues; Committed; Dexterity;  In my Own "Sweets" Way; I Fall in Love Too Easily; The Bat; High Tops; Lille Empum

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