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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 2025).

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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. 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

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

SHE’S GOT SWING! Cherry Tree Restaurant

Emma Fisk (violin), Paul Edis (piano), Mick Shoulder (bass) and Adam Sinclair (drums). The boys kicked off a magical evening with Witchcraft then Emma joined them for Don’t Come Better Than That – a sentiment with which the audience agreed! How subtly different everything is with a violin up front: its plangent tones make slower numbers more mellow and wistful yet it can be quirky and skittish with swing! And the next two numbers swung – Ain’t Misbehavin’ and It Had to Be You. Ol’ Jack Horner was welcome to his plum: smoked salmon, sourdough, shallots and capers all round for us! Next it was full-on wistful/dreamy with Django’s Nuages – no storm cloud this, surely, more billowy white against an azure sky? Rodgers and Hart then delivered This Can’t Be Love while the waitress delivered my posh fish and chips – deep fried red gurnard with lemon and tartare sauce, no less. Both the food and the song were exquisite!
This title lead seamlessly into the next, via the lyric – "without your love….". but this version of Paper Moon was no honky-tonk parade, starting as it did, with an intricate, subtle piano intro from Paul. The first half swung out (as it had swung in) appropriately with It Don’t Mean a Thing If it Ain’t Got…. Chocolate and coffee crème brulée with biscotti filled out the interval and rounded off another lovely Cherry Tree meal. Compliments to the staff! The boys then got cooking again with Yesterdays and Paul and Adam enjoyed trading fours without anything being over-egged! It was then full-swing-ahead with Lady be Good, contrasted next by the slower Alice in Wonderland, then we were Walkin’ My Baby Back Home. Is it just me, or is there a bit of that which sounds like Mary Wells with My Guy? Anyway, Someone to Watch Over Me took us back to wistful/yearning etc. as did Autumn Leaves during which Paul got his first (deserved) applause for a solo. There were lots of good solos all round – it just wasn’t a solo-applauding audience! But it was an appreciative one as the penultimate number – I’ve Got Rhythm – elicited an Oliver-style request for "more" which was met with the beautifully played and melodic If I Had You. Lots more good stuff coming up at this venue – watch this space! Jerry
at

2 comments :

JT said...

Emma brought more than just hot club swing to the Cherry Tree last night. At times her violin reminded me of Stephan G's sessions with Yehudi Menuhin.
My only problem with the Cherry Tree is that sometimes you cant hear all the instruments. Last night the balance was great and the piano sound was particularly crisp - never mind a faultless performance by a line up we look forward to hearing again
JT

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 12:19:00 pm
Debra said...

A great gig. The whole ensemble complemented each other really well.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 3:48:00 pm

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