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

From This Moment On

March

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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.

Monday, December 09, 2024

3 x 3 tonight!

© Roly Veitch
Tonight I'm spoilt for choice! Three trios to pick from. Two, tried and tested over course and distance, one, as yet, an unknown quantity - at least to me.

Mon 09: James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. Looks very tempting. How could it not be with James Birkett on board? When it comes to swinging guitar jazz be it á la Eddie Lang, Django Reinhardt, Jim Hall or Pat Metheny, James Birkett's your man. Tonight he'll be in the company of Jeremy McMurray on piano and Andy Champion on bass. Well worth gannin' along the Scotswood Road for.

Mon 09: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30-8:30pm. Free. Earlier, in Sunderland at the Engine Room, Michael Young (piano), Paul Grainger (bass) and Abbie Finn (drums) form a more conventional piano trio line-up although the actual material will probably be less conventional in the form of a jazzified contemporary popular song book set list which will, I am sure, go down well with the diners tucking in to the Christmas menu. 

Mon 09: Trio Grand @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. This is the unknown quantity and, as an investigative jazz blogger, it's where I'll be. Of the three members of Trio Grand - Georg Voros (drums/vocals), Paul Carter (bass guitar) and Barbara Wilcox (keys, vocals)* - Barbara Wilcox is the only one to have previously graced the pages of BSH. This she has done via some glowing reports of her vocal/keyboard prowess at the Ticket Office and other venues down at the coast.

Whichever gig you choose it looks like you'll be on a winner - keep music live. Lance

*Comparing photos of Barbara Wilcox as posted on BSH and the Globe website has me wondering if there are two Barbara Wilcoxs who sing and play piano in the locality? Tonight I shall find out!

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