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

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Russ Morgan Quartet @ Blaydon Jazz Club - Apr. 15

(© Pam)
Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums)

Blaydon Jazz Club's 40th anniversary concert series is shaping up nicely. This evening's concert featured the debut performance of the Russ Morgan Quartet. Other than a recent appearance at Darlington's Opus 4 Jazz Club working in the company of Paul Edis and Vasilis Xenopoulos, it had been a while since drummer Russ Morgan graced the regional jazz scene. His return to the stage here at the Black Bull on Bridge Street was eagerly anticipated and at a little after eight o'clock Pat Metheny's John McKee opened the show.

(© Pam)
Morgan's quartet - comprising Mark Williams and Andy Champion, both firmly established on the national stage, and relative newcomer, Harry Keeble - revelled in the material, the occasion and the support of an 'on-side' Blaydon Jazz Club audience. Don't Shoot the Messenger (John Scofield) and Wayne's Thang (Kenny Garrett) were but two first set highlights. And then we heard Yes or No, heard as never before. Wayne Shorter's composition is usually taken at a breakneck tempo, not this evening! An agonisingly slow tempo opened ears, a revelation to some, we were hearing the tune as if for the first time, evoking a Coltrane-like spirituality, quite amazing!

(© Pam)
Jim Hall has been a touchstone at Blaydon Jazz Club over the years and the late, great American guitarist's influence was in evidence once more as bandleader Morgan announced Frisell Frazzle. From one guitarist to another to another...Hall to Frisell to Mark Williams. Marvellous. And another notable six-stringer, John Abercrombie, provided another of the evening's numbers - Jumpin' In. Whichever modern/contemporary chart Morgan threw at his bandmates it didn't faze them one bit. 

Morgan's mastery of his chosen instrument was clear for all to see, at times spinning several plates, the hi-hat working overtime, Branford Marsalis' Mr Steepee no better example, Max, Philly Joe et al, this was some performance. The level of musicianship on display from all four musicians was of the highest order. Russ Morgan has been a big miss, that's for sure. Welcome back! Russell     
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