Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

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

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Julien Cattiaux 'Acoustic Trio' @ 38 Riv Jazz Club, Paris - August 27

Daniel John Martin (violon, vocals); Gilles Rea (guitare); Julien Cattiaux (contrebasse) + Marius Bojan (guitare)

A first visit to 38 Riv Jazz Club. The '38' refers to the door number on Rue Rivoli. A classic cellar venue, not unlike Durham's Holy GrAle or Smalls, NYC, we were in Paris to hear double bassist Julien Cattiaux's 'Acoustic Trio'. 

Descending a staircase into a stone-built cellar, we were greeted by none other than Daniel John Martin! No stranger to the north east of England (numerous gigs with Mick Shoulder's Swing Manouche), this was DJM on home turf. 

Julien Cattiaux's trio featuring DJM (violin) and Gilles Rea (guitar) would play a one hour set of Django, Stéphane and more to a full house (the second of two houses this evening). Stéphane's Roll opened the show. We knew DJM would be wonderful, and he was. His bandmates, band leader Cattiaux and guitarist Rea, would prove to be class personified. 

It Had to be You, Oscar Pettiford's Blues in the Closet (a contender for the tune of the evening), You Look Good to Me (as recorded by Oscar Peterson), were we really in a Paris jazz club listening to this stuff? We were!

Daniel John Martin introduced the evening's special guest, aspiring guitarist Marius Bojan. DJM described Monsieur Bojan as 'up-and-coming' or such like. Hearing Bojan play, if he can be described as 'up-and-coming', what will he be like when he 'makes it'?! A fantastic talent! 

A DJM vocal is always worth listening to. This evening we heard Out of Nowhere. C'était magnifique! DJM's violin playing was nothing short of sensational. It was a privilege to be in the French capital listening to a master musician at work. Make that three master musicians at work.

38 Riv more than met expectations: a warm welcome, an eccentric MC, wonderful musicianship, August 27 on Rue Rivoli will forever be a treasured memory. Russell

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