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

From This Moment On

March

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Preview: Tonight @ The Glasshouse - the Brand New Heavies. Acid jazz. Pioneers. A night that’s truly a ‘Dream Come True’.

This year the band celebrated 35 years since they formed, and what better way to celebrate than with a major set of live dates? With support at all shows from special guests Galliano, this tour is not to be missed.

The huge singles ‘Dream On Dreamer’ and ‘Midnight At The Oasis’ are familiar to anyone who has ever turned on a radio, and there were plenty more hits, ‘Back To Love’, ‘Spend Some Time’, ‘Sometimes’, ‘You Are The Universe’, ‘You’ve Got A Friend’, to name but a few. With the band not only enjoying massive success – selling over 2.5 million albums – The Brand New Heavies were also pioneers, essentially creating the fusion of jazz, funk and hip-hop that fuelled their chart and airplay domination, and became known as Acid Jazz.

Galliano, who are special guests for all shows, released the first ever single on the Acid Jazz label. Between 1991 and 1996, they released four albums on the Talkin’ Loud label, with the third ‘The Plot Thickens’ giving them a Top Ten UK chart hit. Known for their potent live shows, Galliano returned for hiatus in 2023, with many of the original musicians still on board, and released their first album in 28 years, ‘Halfway Somewhere’, in 2024.

These dozen live dates are a great opportunity for fans of The Brand New Heavies to connect with a truly unique band, still doing what they do best: don’t miss them.

www.the-brand-new-heavies.com


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