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.

Sunday, June 15, 2025

R.I.P. Louis Moholo Moholo (1940 - June 13, 2025)

Sad news from Cape Town of the passing of legendary South African percussionist Louis Moholo Moholo. 

I missed him when he appeared at the long gone Gateshead International Jazz Festival in 2013 but fortunately BSH's roving reporter Russell was in attendance. His review can be read HERE

Moholo (he had yet to double his surname) was probably with Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath when they appeared at Newcastle City Hall in the late '60s/early '70s but, with the passage of time, I can no longer recall who was or wasn't in the band. My vague recollection is that I didn't like it and stayed in the bar until the main event which was, I think, John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra (or it could have been Gary Burton). 

Nevertheless, I've heard Louis on record many times since then and have to respect him as both a musician and a person.

Louis Moholo Moholo was 85.

Sadly missed - Lance

PS: Link to comment HERE.

1 comment :

Cormack Loane said...

You’re right, Lance. I was also at the Chris McGregor gig at Newcastle City Hall in October 1969, as part of the first Newcastle Festival (I was 14!). The main act was Gary Burton, but Chris McGregor played the first set which didn’t go down well with the audience - many of whom walked out! And I remember seeing Andy Hudson, one of the festival organisers, looking very concerned during the interval - obviously hoping that the audience would return, which they duly did!

I’m pretty sure that saxophone player Dudu Pukwana was playing with McGregor’s band at that gig - and I was knocked out by his playing.

See the Festival programme and the review in the Evening Chronicle (or perhaps The Journal)

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