Poetry's Second Life. Northern Stage

Okay so I screwed up big time! I visualised Tim Garland and Pete Churchill weaving their magic behind some original poets from Newcastle Uni!

I was wrong but this didn't stop the event being an artistic and creative success.

To give a true report on the happenings our folky/poetry guru Ann Alex should have been here with her notebook but...

The evening began in the Hotspur Bar where Newcastle fans were rejoicing at their great escape - 0-4 at half-time 4-4 full-time - against Arsenal (down to ten men.)

Russell and I downed a noggin then moseyed along to the cloistered halls of the uni.

Pete Churchill explained that Tim and he had tutored the students during the week and that their chosen poems would be read, enacted, to music played by the performers on - at various times - tenor sax, guitar, vibes, keys, violin, flute, percussion.

Among the poets whose works were read were, Allen Ginsberg, the Welsh poet R.S.Thomas and Carol Ann Duffy.

None of the performers names were announced but all were good and several superb.

Maybe it wasn't what I expected but it was brilliantly done.

Lance.

Stan Tracey Duo/Trio @ Darlington Arts Centre. February 4th

Stan Tracey (piano), Clark Tracey (drums) & Andy Cleyndert (double bass) Sound Check is Stan Tracey's latest CD. It is a two disc release. The first features duets between father and son (Stan and son Clark). On the second disc the Traceys are joined by bassist Andy Cleyndert. Darlington Arts Centre booked the duo/trio to play numbers from the CD and it was good to see a near capacity audience for the occasion.

The Traceys have worked together for much of Clark Tracey's career as a professional musician and it shows; pianist and drummer, father and son, there is undoubted empathy. Stan played and Stan listened. The many times I've heard him live he listens a lot allowing the other musicians on the stand to play. This performance was no exception.

Drummer Clark can play it all and he too listens. Patterns, chases and exchanges were interwoven throughout the set and it whetted the appetite for the second set trio format.

Andy Cleyndert, standing between the two Traceys, introduced himself by way of superlative bass playing from first note to last. The opening number of the second set isn't on the CD but it was Ellington (Great Times from Tracey's 2005 release For All We Know) and with Tracey you get Ellington every time. Duke Ellington and Stan Tracey - is there anything better in the world of jazz? Other composers of note on the CD include Billy Strayhorn (of course!) and Johnny Green.

The concert drew to a close with - have a guess - Monk's Blue Monk. This was the sort of gig that would usually have me leaving the venue thinking everything was alright with the world but as Darlington's jazz supremo Peter Bevan reminded us the Arts Centre's very existence is under threat. The 'cuts' (we're all in this together, apparently) are about to be inflicted. Do your bit. Resist. Write to, well, someone. You know, a councillor, MP, the local newspaper etc and make sure you get to that jazz gig you were thinking of going to.

Russell.

Secular Saturday

The action all takes place in two churches tonight.

There's Jazz and Poetry with Tim Garland and Pete Churchill at All Saints Church, Akenside Hill, Newcastle - 7:00pm and Pete Allen's Trinity All Stars are at Trinity Church Centre, Gosforth High Street. The blues will be preached at 8:00pm.

Lance.

LATE NEWS FLASH! The Jazz and Poetry gig is now at Northern Stage (the Playhouse off the Haymarket) and not All Saints Church. Same start time (7:00 pm), same finish (8:30 pm). Admission £1.00.

Greetings From Our Man in Hong Kong

Wishing You All A Very Happy & Prosperous Year Of The Rabbit... Kung Hei Fat Choy.....

Colin, Jeannie & All At Neds...

(Colin is at the far left - he's come a long way from Wallsend!)

Congratulations are in the offing.

John Taylor sent me this photo of the Zoe Gilby Quartet at Ashington Jazz Club on Wednesday. He also reminded me that Zoe and bassist Andy Champion (pictured left) are moving to a new estate on Thursday - the Estate of Matrimony.

We wish them all the very best.

Lance.

PS: Peter Sanderson's review of the gig will be following soon.

Darlo Doings

Peter Bevan has directed my attention to his review of the Josephine Davies Quintet at the Darlington Arts Centre on Jan 21. Review.

Sounds like it was a good gig.

Another good - even great - gig takes place at the same venue tomorrow Feb 4 - The Stan Tracey Trio.

This features veteran Stan with son Clark on drums and the ever dependable Andy Cleyndert on bass.

Surprisingly, Father and son have played little in public together in duo/trio form until their recent CD so this should be an opportunity not to be missed.

Lance.

Goodbye Tony Levin

The saddest news today was of the death of drummer Tony Levin. Tony, a drummer whose playing covered all genres in a long and much acknowledged career was last heard in the north east at Gateshead Old Town Hall with the Aki Takase Trio and Keith Tippett.

That the music on that occasion didn't appeal to me is meaningless compared to Tony's magnificent contribution to jazz over the years.

He was a giant who played from the heart.

Tony was 71 may he rest in peace.

LondonJazz report.

Lance.

Maine Street @ Rosie's

Olive Rudd (vcl), Ray Harley (tpt), Herbie Hudson (tmb/hca/vcl), Jim McBriarty (clt/sop/vcl), Alan Rudd (bs), Mike Humble (dms).

Another Thursday afternoon thirst quencher with Snecklifter to titillate the pallate (or should that be pallet?) and, arguably, the best Dixieland band the north east has ever known - okay, let me know if you think otherwise!

The band's ace in the hole is Olive who today excelled on Home - such a lovely tune - Hard Hearted Hannah and I Double Dare You. All done brilliantly.

Ray Harley too was dealing from the top of the deck and Jim's vocal on Varsity Drag was only exceeded by his clarinet and soprano playing.

Herbie, as ever, led from the front and the rhythm guys just kept it coming. These guys (and Gal - move over Lee Wiley!) could play Condon's or Jimmy Ryan's if those New York joints were still around.

Nice to meet up with Val again.

Lance.

Sarah Gillespie @ Cluny 2. February 2nd

Sarah Gillespie (vocals & guitar), Gilad Atzmon (soprano saxophone, clarinet, accordion & harmonica) & Beb Bastin (double bass) Cluny 2, the smaller annexe to the well established Cluny venue in the Ouseburn, drew a good number of listeners to Sarah Gillespie's first appearance on Tyneside. Gillespie played six string acoustic finger style, bassist Ben Bastin played sympathetically throughout, often deploying a slap bass technique and Gilad Atzmon, no stranger to Newcastle audiences, was on good form musically and as stand up comedian.

Gillespie cites Bob Dylan as an influence and many others including Joan As Police Woman, Radiohead and Be Good Tanyas with the latter two most evident in her writing and vocal style. The Be Goods' connection made one think of Gillespie as an ideal performer for the Jumpin' Hot Club with its policy of programming Americana acts not least the Be Goods.

Featured material came from the CDs Stalking Juliet (Malicious Simone and Big Mistake) and In The Current Climate (Lucifer's High Chair and How The West Was Won). A blues - Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out - and a rockabilly version of All Of Me were quirky highlights with Atzmon excelling on soprano. Russell

Justin Hayford - fanning the flame.

What a delight it is to discover someone who brings to the fore some of those wonderful Gasbook songs that you've either forgotten about or never heard. Like Us on a Bus absolute gems and done brilliantly by Justin Hayford.

Check him out on Spotify.

Lance.

Customs House Big Band @ The New Crown, South Shields. 1st February

First Tuesday in the month is the regular rehearsal night for the Customs House Big Band in the function room of the New Crown Hotel. The large public house overlooks the North Sea, offers a small selection of good beers (on this occasion Marston's EPA went down well) and the duty manager simply allows the band to get on with it.

MD Peter Morgan welcomed the return of Gordon Marshall to the trumpet section and sitting alongside him was none other than veteran Dixielander Alan Smith. The first hour saw Morgan put the band through its paces in clinically dissecting Gordon Gooodwin's High Maintenance. This was a bar by bar examination of the tune - ''from bar 17''...''take it from the first crotchet at bar 69'' and so on. This was a fascinating insight into the preparatory work undertaken by a big band prior to concert performance.

Ruth Lambert, the band's vocalist, was on hand to run through a few numbers including The Man I Love, Love For Sale, Alright,Okay,You Win and a winning version of At Last. Altoist Jill Brett played some siren alto on Jazz Police and all the sections were up to scratch throughout the evening.

The next rehearsal night is on Tuesday 1st March (7:30 pm) and with free admission what more could you want? Stay tuned to Bebop Spoken Here for news of the band's forthcoming performances in Sunderland and Blaydon. Russell .

Tonight - Schmazz at Cluny 2

It's the Sarah Gillespie Trio. That's Sarah on vocals and guitar, Gilad Atzmon (reeds and accordion) and Ben Bastin (bass).

John Fordham described Ms. Gillespie as ..."an incandescent presence..." A description that could also be applied to Gilad Atzmon.

Sounds as though it's going to be worth going on a safari into the depths of the Ouseburn Delta.

Note the gig is in Cluny 2.

Starts 8:30pm and admission is £7/£5 (conc)/£3 (stud).

Lance.

Update on Jazz At The Fell

After 17 years of successfully promoting Jazz At The Gateshead Fell Cricket Club the club umpires have raised their finger(s) and jazz is out.

However, and I quote from Ron Pollard's statement on the club website -

"A new venue at the Gateshead Legion Club has been agreed and the first session is on the 11th February with the Maine Street Jazzmen. The address is 142, Coatsworth Road, Gateshead NE8 4LL with access at the rear with car parking from an entrance in Whitehall Road by the Church. It is also on a bus route numbers 53 and 54."

Contact Ron Pollard for more details on 0191 2623735 or email ronpollardffjaz@yahoo.co.uk.

We wish them well and ask everyone to show their support for the new venue.

Lance.

New York Walk - Derek Nash

Rehearsing with a saxophone quintet last night I was impressed by Derek Nash's composition and arrangement - New York Walk.

Back home I checked it out on Spotify. It's from his 2007 album The Flat Iron Suite by Sax Appeal - 5 saxes and rhythm. Absolutely brilliant!

Derek Nash - surely comparable as a saxist/composer/arranger with anyone.

Lance.

R.I.P. John Barry

The sad news today is of the death of John Barry prolific film composer and arranger. Guardian obituary. Lance.

Corey Mwamba Jazz Heralds - 1000 word review by Sarah R.

Heralds are Corey Mwamba, Dave Kane, Joshua Blackmore, Ntshuks Bonga, Alex Bonney, Arun Ghosh.

Jan 25, Cluny.

Sarah R.

Djangologie @ The Bridge

Emma Fisk (vln), Jim Birkett, Giles Strong (gtr), Mick Shoulder (bs).

The reformed, renamed (i.e. ie instead of y don't ask me why) proved the perfect antidote to the afternoon's blues bash at the Central Bar. A choice mix of standards and originals made for a swinging session.

It goes without saying that Emma Fisk does Grappelli and does him good but there's also a lot of her own phrasology in Djangology - sorry Djangologie - as she swung through Coquette, Douce Ambience, Nuages, Undecided, The Autumn Leaf - a Mick Shoulder original that had some effective pizzicato passages from Emma - J'attendrai, Django's Stomp, A Quick One, Minor Swing, Sheik of Araby, Lady Be Good, Daphne and Besame Mucho.

Unlike most Hot Club, ensembles lead and rhythm was shared throughout and both guitarists were well versed in the idiom.

Mick's bass playing was better than his French and he kept the whole thing together with sound rhythmic support.

A delightful musical delicacy - or should that be delicacie?

Photos.

Lance.

Skywalkin' @ The Central Bar.

Byron Baddoo (vcls), Kenny Kirsopp (ten/alt), Steve Coady (gtr), Keith Nicholson (bs), Dave Morton(dms).

The Skywalkers have been around for a long time and they are none the worse for that.

This afternoon, at the Central Bar, they kept the blues flag flying with some dynamic numbers.

This is no ordinary blues band - this is that and a whole lot more.

Baddoo is as baaaaad a bluesman as you're ever gonna meet this side of Sunset and Vine.

Byron hollers like he was born cross the tracks in the stockyards of Chicago. He's a bluesman - full stop.

However, although I dug his blues, I felt the patter overran. The Fufu gag went well past its sell by!

My old mate Kenny blew from a blue haze and played some great bar-walkin tenor and Louis Jordon alto. In fact a lot of the material was updated Louis Jordan and they don't come much better than that. Big round for Steve who did some fantastic guitar business.

The rhythm is great and infectious - by the closing number the floor was awash with gals shaking it around a bit!

Wow!

Photos.

Lance

Jazz Library

Alan Barnes is today's guest on Jazz Library (Radio 3, 4:00 pm) discussing the work of Sonny Stitt. Russell.

Farewell Betty Smith

I was saddened to learn of the death of tenor saxist and singer Betty Smith on January 21 at the age of 81. I remember, just after I'd left school, going to see the Freddy Randall Band at Seaburn Hall, near Sunderland.

The band were great but most of all I was impressed by Betty who, wearing the band's blue blazer, a tight grey skirt and, perched atop high heels, leaned back, legs apart and blew some really booting tenor. I was captivated - I was 15 and in love with the instrument and the player!

I missed the last bus home and had to get a taxi - and my dad out of bed to pay for it!

I thought it was worth it although I don't think he did!

Local drummer Ian Forbes (see photo supplied courtesy of Ian - click here for photo with Jimmy Edwards.) played with her quintet in later years.

A much underrated player.

Sadly missed.

YouTube clip of Betty singing and playing After You've Gone.

Obituary.

Lance.