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

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Snake Davis, Don Richardson & Alistair Anderson @ Helmsley Arts Centre – Jan. 20

Snake Davis (soprano. tenor sax, flute, penny whistle, vocals); Don Richardson (double bass); Alistair Anderson (English concertina (Northumbrian pipes)

It was the presence of the name Alistair Anderson – renowned Northumbrian Pipe and English Concertina player on a flyer in the Helmsley Arts Centre that attracted my eye. Snake Davis (then unknown to me) also sounded intriguing. 

Snake Davis is a saxophonist and a respected touring artist and session musician. He has had a long collaboration with bassist Don Richardson, also highly respected in his field. Both have musical associations with many of the great and good of both the jazz and rock spheres.

The trio with Alastair Anderson is a new venture and we were treated to the world première. The gig consisted of two fourty-five minute sets with an extended interval during which we were invited by Snake to go to the bar, make love, take drugs – or whatever suited our fancy – very rock and roll!

Each set incorporated items written by individual band members with one or two members sitting out for individual items.  The near capacity audience were thrilled by the performance and applauded warmly – even joining in Hey Jude for the penultimate number. The trio were also most appreciative of the warm Helmsley reception.

The trio are performing in the North East at Rocking Horse Café and Gallery near Alnwick. Tickets are £47.50 per person and include a 2 course meal (Tickets 01665 579041, or via Facebook or Instagram pages. Hugh C

Further gigs in the tour are more Yorkshire based and at Ropery Hall, Barton on Humber, Sunday 28 January Music (roperyhall.co.uk)

Round Here (Migden/Richardson); Ivaldo Mendonca/The Big Dance (Anderson); Cedar on Maple (Richardson); Solo by Anderson; In a Sentimental Mood (Ellington); West Road (Anderson); My Love  (Mariachi el Bronx); Love Will Keep us Alive (Carrack, Capaldi, Vale); Hopscotch (Anderson); Reaching Out (Davis); Will Eye (Richardson); Blue Monk (Monk); Hesketh Pool (Anderson); Tom Hanks (Unknown); Afrikan Market Place (Dollar Brand/Abdullah Ibrahim); Hey Jude (Lennon and McCartney); Ancient Dreams (Whitehead)

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