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

18402 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 31 ), 76

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

April

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.

Sat 04: Jake Leg Jug Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Anthropology. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 04: Wild Women of Wylam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £10.00.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free Quintet + guest Neil Brodie (trumpet).
Sun 05: Mark Williams & Tom Remon @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Jazzmain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Zoë Gilby & Johnny Hunter @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Monday, April 22, 2024

Sam Lightwing Quartet @ the Railway Stockport - April 21

(© Jeff Pritchard)
Sam Lightwing (tenor sax); Max Rosen (piano); Steve Berry (bass); Calum Montgomery (drums).

Tonight the train I usually take arrived on time so I anticipated arriving at Stockport Station around about 7:00pm ready for a 20 minute stroll to the Railway, but, guess what happened? Nothing! Even though I'd pressed the green button on the doors - nothing!


I hobbled along to the next carriage to see if that worked but no luck. By this time the train had started again so I ended up at Piccadilly Station which was the next stop. Luckily, I found a conductor who managed to fix the problem and, fortunately, the same train was due to depart and the first stop was Stockport. So I arrived at the Railway at 8:00pm in good time for a pre-gig pint before the 9:00pm start. I was in severe need of some jazz therapy.


Fortunately, I am pleased to report that the night’s music was outstanding and well worth the trials and tribulations that had threatened my progress. 


Sam Lightwing produced a great sound on tenor and it was the first time I’d seen Max Rosen using the house upright, he seemed to enjoy playing it. I am sure both Sam and Max are destined to become household names on the UK jazz scene. 


I was very impressed with drummer Calum Montgomery who is a relative newcomer to this venue. Faced with some challenging material, as you can see from the set list, he was well up to the task. He has developed a great relationship with bassist Steve Berry who many will remember as being a member of the iconic Loose Tubes big band as well as his long stint at the Rhythm Station, Rawtenstall. 


The only thing that was a mystery to me was why more people did not attend this Sunday night gig although I knew of at least 2 of the die-hard regular jazz fans were away on holiday. I hope this group keeps doing what they are doing and make a speedy return visit. 


Next jazz night at the Railway is on Tuesday April 23 with Alex Clarke and the Paul Hartley Trio. Mike Farmer


It Could Happen To You; Triste; Everybody’s Song But my Own; Moment’s Notice; In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning; Joy Spring; Recorda-Me; Tenor Madness; A Night In Tunisia; Dolphin Dance;Have You Met Miss Jones?

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