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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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

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. SOLD OUT!
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: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Tony Bennett BBC 2

More documentary than performance, I don't think it quite came off although that is not to say it wasn't watchable.
Despite shots of Tony performing at the 2005 Montreal Jazz Festival they were infuriatingly interspersed with all manner of 'historical' references to the song - usually involving Fred Astaire (not that I've anything against Fred Astaire and the others) and, in truth, despite the pre-program blurb, the only jazz came from the unidentified musicians in the accompanying group.
Having said all that, the bel canto voice of yore may have gone but, to my ears, the husky croak that is its replacement puts over a lyric with much more feeling and sensitivity than the original ever did.
This is one fine vino that has definitely matured with age and hopefully will continue to do so for some time to come.
Lance

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

Well, I did enjoy it of course, how could you not? I did feel though that there was too much talking & not enough singing. The way they kept interjecting was irritable.
It makes me almost want to cry for what we have lost in superb entertainers. The clips of Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Jimmy Durante, Mel Brooks, these were the people I grew up with, they were giants in the world of entertainment, how fortunate to have lived though it, as there is just no one to touch them. I did think his voice showed flaws as he got older, but always he interpreted the lyric the way the writer meant it to be, just as Sinatra did. He only sang the best too, making every performance fresh, and he looked at all times as though he was really enjoying himself. A humble man who endeared you to him for that very reason. I thought that Clint Eastwood came over in a lovely relaxed fashion, they gelled well.

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed it although a bit too 'drooling' for me. The guitarist is Gray Sargent - has been part of his gigging quartet for a while now I think. Looks a bit like Tal Farlow. Rather surprised at Bill Evan's medallion (how curious)- would never have thought of him as 'medallion man' but there you go.
Jimmy Durante was the star of the show?
Roly

Hil said...

Tony still holds magic for me. My daughter and I sat often with tears in our eyes during the programme.
I agree they did talk too much during his songs. Why the heck do they feel the need to keep interrupting? did their Mams never tell them it was rude?
The lovely song bird Anne(now living in France) and I saw Tony at the City Hall about 10 yrs(?) ago. We had the corner seats on the balcony as the best had all been sold. Although you know what folks, we had the best seats in the house, we were over looking the stage, and Tony stood and made eye contact and sung to 'just us' on more than one occasion during the performance.
I will never forget that night for the rest of my life...it was wonderful.

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