Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Saturday, June 06, 2009

Steve Waterman's Ten Piece Project @ Saltburn Community Hall. (Friday June 5.)

Steve Waterman (trumpet & flugel horn), Noel Dennis (trumpet), Sue Ferris (baritone sax), Graeme Wilson (tenor sax), Rod Mason (alto sax), Chris Hibbard (trombone), Keith Norris (trombone), Paul Edis (piano), Andy Champion (double bass & electric bass), Adrian Tilbrook (drums).
The Victoria pub just down the road from the Community Hall was, I thought, just the place to sit and have a pre - gig pint and escape the falling rain in Saltburn...ten musicians had already hit on the same idea ! So, a pint of Skelton's IPA it was. A glance at Cleveland's '' Evening Gazette '' and it was time to stroll up to the venue. Well before the advertised kick - off the place was packed to the rafters - I think they knew they were onto a good thing.
Waterman's Ten Piece Project was assembled to play the music of some of the trumpet maestro's favourite composers. We were treated to an evening of tunes by Tadd Dameron (''Our Delight'', ''Good Bait'', ''Lady Bird''), Benny Golson (''Killer Joe''), Herbie Hancock (''Watermelon Man'', ''Chameleon'', ''Cantaloupe Island'') and others.
''Our Delight '' opened with Waterman and Ferris in unison; the other frontliners (all five of 'em!) joined in and the ace rhythm section stoked it up. Waterman afforded solos to all in the ensemble throughout the two sets; it was very much a collaborative evening of music making.
Solo after solo proved to be a highlight - Adrian Tilbrook (a master percussionist of the larger ensemble) took a superb solo, as did Andy Champion, Graeme Wilson, Rod Mason, Noel Dennis...the list goes on. Waterman's own composition ''Destination Unknown '' demonstrated his top - drawer technique. The band dealt with ease anything and everything thrown at them, not least the rhythm section playing ''Chameleon'' as the frontline played '' Watermelon Man'' - it worked!
A great gig at a nice venue with a bottle of Fuller's ''London Pride'' at hand. Perfect.
This evening's concert was presented by Saltburn Arts in association with Jazz Action and Geneva Trumpets. Geneva Trumpets are hand made in nearby Skelton by Tim Oldroyd. Messrs. Waterman and Dennis are but two of his clients.
Russell .

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