Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18982 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 846 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 8.) 25.

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

October.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Monday, June 02, 2025

Swing Manouche @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth - June 2

Martin Winning (clarinet); Mick Shoulder (guitar); Dave Smith (rhythm guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass)

Sunny Blyth! Not one (Yamaha Music School), but two music schools, and a brand new arts centre under construction, not to mention the reopening of mothballed railway lines, south east Northumberland is where it's all happening. 

And this afternoon, Mick Shoulder's Swing Manouche was making a welcome return to Seaforth Street. A warm welcome from Steven, proprietor of the Yamaha Music School, a coffee, a chat with him, him and her, and, before we knew it, Swing Manouche opened with Coquette. All four musicians would take solos during the set, string bassman Paul Grainger the first of them to do so. 

Mick Shoulder shone on Anniversary Song, in truth, bandleader Shoulder shone on each and every number - mighty fine guitar playing. Danse Norvegienne concluded with Martin Winning's stupendous cadenza. Bravo!

Irving Berlin's Russian Lullaby, the musette form Mystérieuse, Djangology and more, all were underpinned by Dave Smith's immaculate rhythm guitar playing. Bravo! 

And then there was Martin Winning. Monsieur Winning is a very busy musician and when he is available, Monsieur Shoulder makes a point of booking him. The party-piece set closing Dark Eyes - Winning winding it up, then winding it up some more - won huge applause. Bravo!

And that was it...except the boys were enjoying themselves and wanted to play another one. And so to All of Me. Swing Manouche is a band well worth checking out. Monday August 18, Blaydon Jazz Club, guess who'll be there? Oui, Swing Manouche. See you there. Russell    
    
Set list: Coquette; Anniversary Song; Danse Norvegienne; Russian Lullaby; Mystérieuse; Je suis seul ce soir; Bei Mir Bist du Schoen; Oui; Dark Eyes; All of Me.  

2 comments :

Mick Shoulder said...

Thanks Russell

Anonymous said...

It was a wonderful set - all that great jazz, and played by these top class guys. An excellent choice of numbers too, for the short set - the audience loved it all.

Blog Archive