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.

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Album review: Inger Marie - Five Minutes

Inger Marie Gundersen (vocals); Espen Lind (guitar, keys, backing vocals); Torjus Vierli (piano, organ, keys); Tom Frode Tvelta  (bass); Martin Windstad (drums, perc.); Kristian Frostad (guitars); Erlend Viken (fiddle); Tore Johansen  (trumpet)

An intriguing album by a Norwegian singer covering an assortment of numbers associated with or composed by artists such as Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jagger and Richards, Mark Knopfler, Krall and Costello ...

The voice has the mystical texture of Janis Ian or Shirley Horn so it isn't surprising that there's a quote from the late Shirley in the album notes: 

"Let me whisper it. Let me sigh it. Let me sing it, my dear or I will cry it." 

Which very much sums up Inger Marie's approach. 

It's compulsive listening even though the jazz content is minimal. It's like a book that you can't put down but one you may not want to read again.

Listen to the title track HERE. Available on Stunt Records. Lance

Five Minutes; Sailing; My Valentine; We Kiss in a Shadow; Wild Horses; Thank You Lord; Why Worry; Little Person; Narrow Daylight.

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