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.

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham - May 23

© Malcolm Sinclair
Dean Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums)

The name Dean Stockdale is sufficient to ensure a sellout, as is the name Oscar Peterson. In the centenary year of the birth of the legendary Canadian pianist (15 August 1925), Darlington based Stockdale is touring his 'Celebrating Oscar' set. And here at Durham's Gala Theatre, sure enough, all seats were occupied. 

In recent times, Stockdale has appeared at venues up and down the land and further afield, including Belfast, Dublin, Paris and Brussels*. Here in Durham the Dean Stockdale Quartet opened with OP's Blues Etude. All four musicians are entirely comfortable with the material and the arrangements. 

Precision playing without sacrificing the vital component of swing, the unison lines between Stockdale and guitarist Tim  Williams were a joy to hear. Gavin Barras' melodicism is a precious commodity, perhaps the bassist should bottle it - and sell it! Drummer Gaz Hughes, playing the first of two engagements in the region today (later in the day Hughes' quartet would be headlining at Opus 4 Jazz Club in  Darlington), demonstrated that he is completely au fait with the charts and his innate sense of swing teased reassuring smiles from his bandmates. 

© Malcolm Sinclair
Noreen's Nocturne fairly rattled along, Leonard Bernstein's Tonight, thankfully sans the theatricality, worked well, and, in a well chosen set list, the Dean Stockdale Quartet went out with an expansive Wheatland, a reverential Hymn to Freedom, and a foot-tapping Night Train. If post-gig CD sales are anything to go by, the Gala's audience liked what it had been listening to. Copies of Stockdale's Celebrating Oscar album were snapped up, every single one of them.     
          
Set list: Blues Etude; Falling in Love with Love; Bossa Beguine; Noreen's Nocturne; Tonight; Wheatland; Hymn to Freedom; Night Train.

* The Dean Stockdale Quartet will be at Queen's Hall Hexham, Saturday 24 May (7:00pm) in the first of a double bill launching this year's Northumberland Jazz Festival: www.queenshall.co.uk. Russell  
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