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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 19: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Thursday, May 29, 2008

McCoy Tyner Trio Plus Joe Lovano At The Sage - A Gig Of Two Halves

This was never going to be the kickass gig that last week's Jason Moran/Monk concert was and nobody thought that it would be. The trio, McCoy Tyner (pno), Gerald Cannon (bs) and Eric Gravatt (dms), augmented by Joe Lovano on tenor, performed ably but by comparision, the opener, Monk's "Ruby My Dear," was but a pale maiden.
Tyner's playing suffered, through no fault of his own. from a slight muddiness of sound and Lovano appeared to be going through the motions; albeit very good motions.
The general consensus in the bar at the end of the first set was 'good show but no cigar'.
The second set was a whole different ballgame. The pianist kicked off with an unaccompanied version of "I Should Care" that was worlds away from what had gone before. Dazzling runs à la Tatum interspersed with some of tomorrow's chords made this an item of contemporary beauty. At last, we knew the game was afoot; if the phrase hadn't been used so many times before I'd have said that this was 'The Real McCoy'.
Lovano, wearing a fedora hat, Gravatt and Cannon joined the fray and a storming set followed with Joe more than once nodding in the direction of his Coltranic ancestory. Eric Gravatt's drum solos were particularly dextrous whilst Gerald Cannon provided a solid root and his solos were characterised by a roundness of tone tempered with touches of rare humour. The evening concluded with "In A Mellotone" and a deserved standing ovation.
I guess they got the cigar after all.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Haven't heard "In a Mellotone" for ages, so just listened to the Duke on an album called "Cotton tail" (I think!) The guitar so reminds me of my late dear dad, he played just like that..all the good bits of me come from him, bless him. Even after 17 years I still miss him, but of course he left such a legacy in music. Almost the last conversation we had was about "Satin doll"

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