Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

Friday, January 23, 2026

Single review: Sarah McKenzie (Normandy Lane Music)

Sarah McKenzie (piano, vocal); John Clayton (bass); Jeff Hamilton (drums); Warren Wolf (vibes); Rickey Woodard (tenor sax); Keith Fiddmont (alto sax); Gilbert Castellanos (trumpet); Randy Napoleon (guitar)

City by the Bay is Sarah McKenzie’s love letter to San Francisco. The song was originally written as part of a composition commission that McKenzie had received from the Diablo Regional Arts Association in 2018 and was premiered live during a concert with the title San Francisco - Paris of the West at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek, CA in the same year. Right afterwards McKenzie and her musicians recorded the entire programme at legendary Capitol Studios in Hollywood. ‘I had already recorded other albums that were scheduled for release, which is why this recording was shelved at the time and I always thought it needed a special occasion for me to release it. That moment is now.’

It's a love letter to San Francisco, that Californian city where Tony B left his heart. Australian born Sarah, who's lived there for the past couple of years genuinely loves the city but isn't unaware of the contrast between the immense wealth and technical innovation that exists alongside the homelessness, addiction and staggering inequality although they don't feature in the lyric.

Still it's pleasant listening. Sarah has a comfortable jazz-tinged voice and Woodard has a reedy toned tenor solo that adds to the ambience. Check it out. City by the Bay is released today (January 23) on your favourite streaming platform. Lance

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