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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Sunday, February 15, 2026

The Buck Clayton Jam Sessions

Back in the early days of the vinyl age the floodgates were opened for jazz musicians and symphony orchestras. The latter could play Beethoven's Ninth without the listener having to flip the disc over several times. Likewise jazz musicians no longer had to formulate their solos to fit into the constraints of a 10" piece of shellac. Instead they could stretch out indefinitely or until Miles suggested the player takes the mouthpiece out of his mouth.

The LP was the ideal format for recording jam sessions and none were carved in vinyl better than those led by Buck Clayton in 1953 and 1954.

True the opening shots had been fired by Norman Granz and his various JATP aggregations. They were live recordings that invariably had the rebel-rousing soloists playing to the gallery with honking tenors, screaming trumpets and drum battles that saw Rich wiping the floor with Krupa. Even Nat Cole wasn't immune from this musical bloodletting.

The crowd loved it and I'm sure I would too if I'd got caught up in the frenzy. However, in the cold light of morning listening to the records it's not the same. A bit like the girl you thought was the most beautiful girl in the world the previous night turns out to be anything but and you vow never to mix your drinks again!

The Clayton sessions are like vintage plonk - they just get better and better with each play. Most of them are available now on YouTube (isn't every.......thing?) but I wouldn't part with the albums pictured. Strictly speaking the Buck Clayton Special wasn't one of the jam sessions but it fills in the space and it's a good one anyway.

All the big hitters of the pre-bop era are in there many, like Clayton, Basie-ites past and present (1950s).

If I gave myself the impossible task of choosing just one track it would be Blue Lou for the chase chorus between Clayton and Ruby Braff. I was reminded of how good all ten minutes of the track were when Denny Farrell played it on Late Night Chicago Radio this Thursday gone.

They don't play 'em like that anymore. Lance

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