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

18395 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 259 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 30 ), 69

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

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.

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.

Monday, March 04, 2024

Album review: Curtis Taylor - Taylor Made

Curtis Taylor (trumpet); Marcus Elliot (tenor sax); Theron Brown (piano, Rhodes); Jonathon Muir-Cotton (acoustic/electric bass); Alex White (drums); David Castañeda (perc)

The album cover is reminiscent of vintage Blue Note so my appetite was whetted before the needle, figuratively speaking, hit the groove and I wasn't let down.

Taylor has that hot/cool sound that grew out of Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan. Bypassing Miles and Chet on the way to Roy Hargreaves, Wynton and, ultimately, himself. It's a big sound without being brassy.  

Although this is his first album as a leader, Taylor's previous recordings have included a couple with Gregory Porter as well as many other notables.

All seven tracks are Taylor originals, hence the album title, and I may be wrong (I usually am) but none of them come across as contrafacts but they could easily be contrafacts of the future.

Elliot's tenor adds to the ambience just as Harold Land did to those old Clifford Brown/Max Roach recordings on the Mercury/EmArcy label. The rhythm section does the business of keeping it contemporary without losing its roots. 

Worth a punt. Lance

Available via usual streamers on April 12.

Kham's Dilemma; After the Rain; Heightened Awareness; For Her; Indomitable; Hashtagged; Journey

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