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

18767 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 631 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 31) 95.

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 12: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Abbie Finn Trio @ Sheepfolds, Sunderland. 5:00-10:00pm. Free. A National Macken Day event. AF3 on stage at 6:30pm. Tickets (free) from: www.eventbrite.co.uk. SOLD OUT!
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 26
Wed 12: Jam session @ The tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 12: Look Left @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: 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 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Album review: Tommaso Starace Organ Trio - Live at the Beaver Inn (Dodicilune)

Tommaso Starace (alto sax); Martin Jenkins (Hammond B3); Pip Harbon (drums)

It was back in 2011 when I first heard Starace live. Since then many of his albums have graced these pages and not a lemon amongst them!

Live at the Beaver Inn captures the best of both worlds - the excitement and the spontaneity of a live gig coupled with the expert mixing and mastering (by Anthony Galatis at Uptown Studios) of an in-house recording.

After an introduction by Peter Hames, organiser of the North Devon Jazz Club's sessions at the Beaver Inn, picturesquely set on the Torridge estuary, the trio take flight on Monk's We See. Starace is on fire and the flame is fanned by Jenkins and Harbon.

Sergio Mendes' Groovy Samba has Starace again igniting the room with Harbon successfully mixing the Brazilian rhythms with equally complex bebop breaks.

Firm Roots, a composition by pianist Cedar Walton, has a catchy head that provides the perfect launching pad for the Italian virtuoso to display his musical mastery. Jenkins hits a good groove before we're back to that catchy head. However, Harbon reminds us that he too is a part of the band taking it out with a lengthy solo.

Benny Golson's Stablemates with its changing patterns is always good to hear and all three stamp their brand on the tune with extended solos setting it up to take on all-comers. All seven tracks are excellent but, for me, this one aces it.

Time to cool it and in what better way than with Erroll Garner's Misty? I know everybody and his cat (I once had a cat of that name) has worked their magic on the tune but few have done it better than the Tommaso Starace Organ Trio. Listen to that closing alto cadenza and gasp!

Fungii Mama by Blue Mitchell is one of those Latin/calypso tunes I've known for years without knowing the title. Now I know! The band know it too - they take it to Trinidad and back via 52nd St. - as was - soloing as if it were the eve of Armageddon.

The 57:49 minutes playing time arrives after another roller-coasting journey, this time on Kenny Barron's Voyage. 

An excellent album worthy of the vintage Blue Note or Prestige labels.

This begs the question as to when are we going to hear these guys in the north east? Lance

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