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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17655 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 929 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Dec. 31).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

Sat 04: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Square, Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £5.00. Xmas party (rescheduled from early December).

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.
Sun 05: Papa G’s Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Mon 06: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: John H Hammond.
Thu 09: FILM: Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:35pm. Documentary (dir. Johan Grimonprez) ‘about jazz, (de)colonial history and activism featuring Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie’.
Thu 09: Happy Tuesdays @ Ye Olde Cross, Ryton. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 09: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. 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, April 16, 2009

Frank Brooker & the Jeremy McMurray Quartet. Blaydon Jazz Club.

Frank Brooker (ten/clt), Jeremy McMurray (pno), Roly Veitch (gtr), Neil Harland (bs), David Carnegie (dms).
The new season at the new venue got off to a booting start with Frank Brooker fronting the house rhythm section which tonight included Neil Harland and David Carnegie alongside Roly and Jeremy - they gelled.
Frank Brooker may not be the first name that springs to mind when it comes to tenor sax (or clarinet) players but he must surely rank amongst the most stylistically versatile.
Basically a swing player Frank, nevertheless, successfully flirts with bebop and beyond; tonight playing material from Hank Mobley ("Of Thee I Dig" and "Soul Station"), Zoot Sims ("Red Door"), Parker ("Anthropology") and Rollins ("Calypso Blues") as well as Benny Goodman ("Stomping at the Savoy").
"Body and Soul" had a Samba rhythm that was different whilst "Nightingale Sang", played with the sensitivity it demands, captured my mood to perfection.
Throughout the evening, Jeremy, Roly, Neil and David provided the perfect cushion for the guest as well as standing tall in their own right.
The long drive home meant I left before the end although, when I heard the strains of "Black Butterfly", filtering through, I lingered, longer, in the foyer; savouring the liquidity of the clarinet - it was a gem.
A good start for the new venue.
Lance.

1 comment :

tony.hampshire@mail.com said...

FROM: - TONY HAMPSHIRE, ILKLEY.
TEL: 01 943 600 218
MOB: 07 825 954 034
E-MAIL
Tony.Hampshire@mail.com

Dear Sirs,

I am attempting to create a regular jazz venue at the Hollygarth Social Club in Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Only the best musicians will do hence this approach to you.

May I please ask you to get in touch so we might discuss this.

Thank you.

Best regards.

Tony Hampshire.

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