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.

Friday, October 25, 2024

Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ the Lit & Phil, Newcastle Oct. 25

©Patti
Daniel John Martin (violin, vocal); Mick Shoulder, Danny Lowndes (guitars); Paul Grainger (bass).

For once the well-oiled machine that is the Lit and Phil went off the rails - no programmes had been printed. Maybe there were leaves in the system, who knows?

So as it was, no advance set list was available meaning that I'm having to work from my not always accurate memory bank.

Nevertheless, it's the music that counts and, in that respect it was hot off the Eurostar from Paris.

©Patti
Exquisite violin playing, authentic sounding guitar and solid double bass support.

Apart from the missing programme - collectors will search the Globe, and all the other north east jazz joints for the elusive item - what could go wrong? Answer: Nothing!

So, from memory (not in the order they were played), we heard: Dinette; I Love You, All of Me (DJM vocal); Nuages; Swing 42; In a Sentimental Mood; Honeysuckle Rose; Au Privave and an original that I didn't catch the title of. There may have been more. No doubt I'll find out on Sunday at the Globe where the band play TWO SETS! If it's anything like this afternoon it will be an I was there moment! Lance

5 comments :

Anonymous said...

Alora was the title of the original.

Hugh said...

For a moment I thought DJM was sporting a blonde pony tail...


...on closer inspection I see it is the shirtfront of the gentleman on the wall behind him!

Bixie said...

1) The technical ability of the man was unquestioned
2) Jazz phrasing was nonexistent
3) He should learn how to swing.
An over-hyped, poor representation of jazz manouche.
Bixie

Lance said...

Bix, old chum whilst we both agree on item 1 I have to disagree on the other 2 points not least your thoughts on swing. Certainly the original hot club didn't swing in the conventional manner. How could they with those guitars chugging away in the background? It didn't matter, they'd created the first, maybe the only, original form of, non-American, European jazz. In that sense they swung differently - vive le difference! Likewise with DJM and co. They've taken the hot club/manouche formula, adhered to it, and done it very well otherwise why do it?
Don't look for something that isn't there. Did you think any less of Armstrong because he didn't play like Miles (or vice versa)?

Rachel said...

When they played at The Globe I was a bit chuffed with myself for being able to name all the tunes, spending time with gypsy jazz friends has rubbed off on me! And after the gig and we were all packing up and I was taking down the bar Daniel asked me if I enjoyed the gig. I mentioned that they hadn't played my favourite tune, Tears. So he got his violin out again and ordered his guitarists to 'play for Rachel ' right by the bar. It was bonkers but fun. Got two solos too. Paul was upstairs on the loo so he missed out 😂

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