Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18844 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 708 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 27) 77.

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

August

Sun 30: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Tango Jazz Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

September.

Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 02: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 03: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 03: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Feat. Ian Bosworth (guitar); Ron Hampton (guitar); Riche Emmerson (tenor sax); Dan Johnson (tenor sax, alto sax); Garry Hadfield (keyboards); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Mark Hawkins (drums).

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: FUNK: new musicians collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.00. Line-up inc. Chris Caygill & Daniel Chandler.
Fri 04: The Upside + Lagos to Longbenton @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00. Ska, funk, Afro-fusion & more.

Sat 05: Alligator Gumbo @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 05: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Hartlepool Art Gallery. 4:00-6:15pm. £6.00. Concert performance. Tickets available from the venue - tel: 01429 869706.
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Monday, July 07, 2025

Album review: Edgar van Asselt invites Ack van Rooyen - Song for Lost Friends (self released)

Ack van Rooyen (trumpet, flugel); Edgar van Asselt (piano); Erik Robaard (bass); Wim Kegel (drums)

I first heard the Dutch trumpet/flugelhorn player Ack van Rooyen at the 1983 North Sea Jazz Festival which, back then, was held in Den Haag. He was part of a mammoth eight trumpet, piano, bass & drums line-up billed as Trumpet No End after the Ellington recording of the same name. Alongside van Rooyen were fellow trumpet giants Doc Cheatham, Wild Bill Davison, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Jon Faddis, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry and Warren Vaché Jr.

That he could hold his own in such fast company says plenty about Ack van Rooyen and this latest album, recorded on February 20, 2020 less than two years before his death in November, 2021 at the age of 91, indicates that he was still playing as well as ever.

Dedicated to Clark Terry, a lifelong friend, van Rooyen possessed the same fullness of tone and impish sense of humour. Appropriately, three of the tunes are Ellingon related including Perdido which was always a feature for Terry when he was with the band.

However, if I had to pick out just one tune which, in all honesty, would be impossible, I'd opt for My One and Only Love. This is an absolute classic that bears comparision with any ballad by anyone from any era. The unaccompanied flugelhorn introduction - so mellow, so lyrical - gave me goosebumps which didn't go away when, with van Asselt's sympathetic piano backing, he embarked upon the theme and variations. On another day it could be any one of the other eight numbers whether ballad or bebop, trumpet or flugel all the bases were covered.

His fellow travellers are on the same wavelength. van Asselt, who I gather organised the recording which appears to have been a somewhat informal session in front of a small, invited, appreciative audience, is the perfect choice with a dazzling technique that is employed sensibly and with sensitivity. Bass and drums too couldn't be bettered they slot in seamlessly.

To get the feel of the session watch the promo video below. The release date for the album is July 11. Lance

 PROMO VIDEO.

My One And Only Love; Sometime Ago; Song For Lost Friends; Touch of Your Lips; Just Friends; Perdido; C Jam Blues; Take the A Train; Smile/My Ideal

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