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.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. 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).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, 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

Monday, February 19, 2024

Andrzej Baranek Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - Feb. 18

(© Jeff Pritchard)
Andrzej Baranek (keys); Tony Ormisher (guitar); Ed Harrison (bass); Eryl Roberts (drums).

Another great night of hard-driving bebop at the Railway and even before the band had played a note the room was standing room only which was good to see. Andrzej had brought along that fine guitarist Tony Ormisher who I believe is based in Liverpool but it’s a while since I recall seeing him at this venue. He was given plenty of solo space and had no problem playing the ten numbers that Andrzej had selected, a mixture of bop tunes, standards, and some Latin flavoured themes. There was one tune I had not heard before, Beautiful Moons Ago which was a ballad that Andrzej first heard on an album that the great pianist Bennie Green recorded at the Village Vanguard with bassist Christian McBride. This was written by Nat King Cole and recorded by his trio.


Most of the solos were taken by keyboards or guitar but Ed and Eryl also got their chance to let loose on the uptempo blues by Thelonius Monk -  Straight no Chaser.  The final tune, Cherokee featured more high-energy playing from everyone bass and drums included ending another great evening of modern jazz. There is no jazz on Tuesday, February, 20 at the Railway but on Sunday, February 25 there is Dave Walsh and the JDM Trio. Mike Farmer

 

I Thought About You; Watch What Happens; Sophisticated Lady; One Note Samba; Voyage; Moanin’; Bye Bye Blackbird; Beautiful Moons Ago; Straight no Chaser; Cherokee.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Since when was Stockport in the North East?

Lance said...

You must be a geography teacher! You are correct but, then again, neither are London, Edinburgh, Paris, New York or Chicago in the north east. We source jazz from wherever our scribes encounter it. You too, Mr/Mrs/Ms? are invited to contribute reviews from near or far.

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