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

Thursday, March 07, 2024

Album review: Louis Stewart Trio - Louis the First

Louis Stewart  (guitar); Martin Walshe  (bass); John Wadham (drums)

My initial reaction before I'd heard even a single note was that this would have a pleasantly soporific effect on me once I was tucked up in bed.

I was wrong! 

So very wrong to the effect that I listened to it three times before I was engulfed in the arms of Morpheus. When I awoke this morning I had to play it again to make sure it hadn't been a fanciful dream.

No, I hadn't been dreaming this was the best guitar playing I'd heard since, well since I heard Louis Stewart live at the Corner House and somewhere else with Ronnie Scott.

Of course such statements are subjective and everyone will have their own opinion as to is/was the greatest be it Django, Metheny, Frisell, Clapton or whoever. Nevertheless, check out Louis Stewart before passing judgement.

This was Louis' first album as a leader, recorded in Dublin in 1975, and now, close on 50 years later, it is still as relevant today as it was then. 

Five numbers by the trio: All the Things You Are; Bluesology; O Grande Amor; Alone Together; Footprints - the latter wasn't on the original album.

A guitar/bass duo: Body and Soul. Two solo guitar tracks: Send in the Clowns; Here's That Rainy Day and one duet with himself: Autumn Leaves.*

Originally released in 1975 it is now available on download and CD (vinyl at a later date) via the various outlets. Don't miss out this time around. Lance

*Back in the day BSH's number one Louis Stewart fan, JC, toyed with the idea of arranging a duo gig with local Northern Ireland expat Mark Williams. This would have been something special which Autumn Leaves hints at. Sadly, this was not to be as Louis passed away on August 20, 2016.

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