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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Sun 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Royal Quays Marina, North Shields. 2:00-4:00pm. Free..
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free..
Sun 23: Blue Note Quintet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00..
Sun 23: Timmy Allan Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 24: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, September 09, 2025

Album review: Dom Franks' StrayHorn - Duality Pt: 02 (self-released)

Dom Franks (tenor/soprano sax); Adrian Pope (elec./acoustic guitar); Jules Jackson (5-string elec. bass, Rhodes on tk 5, perc. tks 1, 5); Alex Steele (Rhodes tks 1, 3, 7); Andrew Brotherton (drums) + The Carducci String Quartet (tks 2, 5, 6, 7)

If, like me, you assumed that Dom Franks' StrayHorn would be, however tenuously, related to the Duke of Ellington's Strayhorn, you'd be wrong! Wrong but not necessarily disappointed. There's a gentle lilt to it that suggests there's more than one way for these cats to swing and they've found it without upsetting any preconceived apple carts.

The addition of the string quartet brings to mind the days when third stream was the new thing. Does your memory go that far back? Well we've moved on from those days when jazz people were prepared to try anything to stem the advance of the new long-haired musical messiahs. Dom Franks, cool of tone, imaginative in execution and a composer for today has created a vision that looks forward without any unnecessary trappings.

Pope impresses on whichever guitar he opts for. Jackson, sound on 5-string electric bass, Steele on Rhodes and Brotherton on drums all contribute to the end product which, if it hasn't already been played would be ideal for Soweto Kinch's late night radio show. Lance

Release date: Sept. 19

Unity Road; Quality (Twin Poles); The Outliers; Lullaby For Yerevan; Full Time Mover; Simple Song (For Jimmy Webb); The Rule of the Blade

 

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