Bebop Spoken There

Warne Marsh: "At some point, you have to be prepared to create—to perform. It's vital, man, if we're talking about jazz, the original jazz, the performing art. It fulfils its meaning only when you play it live in front of an audience." DownBeat January 1983.

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

18191 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 45 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 14), 45

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: 2025 obituaries.
Thu 22: Ronnie Scott’s Soho Songbook @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Thu 22: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta. @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors). £6.50 (inc. bf).

Fri 23: Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 24: An Evening with Will Todd @ Durham Cathedral. 7:30pm. Feat. Voices of Hope, Strictly Smokin’ Big Band (members of) & Alice Grace. Performance inc. Todd’s Jazz Missa Brevis. £25.50., £13.50., £19.50., £10.50.

Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Alexia Gardner Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Mon 26: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Pete Roth Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm. Feat. Bill Bruford.

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

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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