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

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 24: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Album review: Elmar Frey - Seven Colors

Daniel Schenker (trumpet, flugel); Stefan Schegel (trombone); Rodrigo Botter Maio (alto sax, flute); Christoph Grab (tenor/soprano sax/flute); Alessandro d'Episcopo (piano); German Laiber (bass); Elmer Frey (drums)

I must confess that none of the above names meant anything to me but, then again, I know little about jazz in Switzerland and I was tempted to shuffle this one to the bottom of the deck until my eye picked up on this in the blurb: 

We're not attempting to fulfil any intellectual criteria with over intellectual and pleasure-averse music. Our goal is to have fun and spread it.

I liked the idea that it wasn't pleasure-averse music and I was hooked before I'd even heard a note and, when I did, I wasn't disappointed!

Nine compositions by leader Frey plus one well-known standard and all swinging with the precision of a Swiss watch. The charts suggest updated arrangements by Shorty Rogers or Marty Paich. They all  have that warmer than cool feel about them so reminiscent of those good old West Coast days. All seven musicians solo impressively with Schegel particularly outstanding. I'm not sure which flautist solos on which tracks but they're both excellent. Indeed, to reiterate, this truly is a 'Magnificent Seven'.

Their goal was to have fun and spread it. They've achieved that goal - no V.A.R needed. 

I'm not sure how it found its way from Winterthur to Tyneside, but I'm awfully glad it did. Available from Nov. 3.  Lance 

BLUE COURSE READY; Here Comes Livio; Raffaela's Waltz; Oriental 2nd Line; Shadow Play; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square; Silverish; Clarity; Peter's Blues; Zauberwelt

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