Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 544 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 3) 8

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

July

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 05: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. guest Kevin Eland (trumpet).
Sun 05: Michael Woods @ Cycle Hub, Quayside, Ouseburn. 1:30-2:30pm & 3:15-4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues guitar. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Lydia Rae Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Rae (vocals); Sam Lightwing (alto sax, tenor sax); Ben Lawrence (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 05: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 05: Storytellers Street Band @ Ouseburn Woodland, Ouseburn. 5:00-6:00pm. Free. An Ouseburn Festival event.
Sun 05: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jambone @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:15-9:45pm. Free but ticketed.

Mon 06: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 06: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 07: Alan Law Trio @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:30pm. Free.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Sax on the Tyne @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00. Feat. Sax on the Tyne & St George’s Community Choir.
Wed 08: Abbie Finn Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 09: 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 10: Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Olly Styles & Jacob Egglestone @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 10: Archipelago @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:00pm . New album fundraiser gig.
Fri 10: King Bees @ Rebel Yell, Nelson St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Chicago blues.

Sat 11: Spanish City Rollers @ Community Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival, Front Street, Tynemouth. 12 noon. Free.
Sat 11: Jazz Stage: Mouth of the Tyne Festival (o/s Tynemouth Priory), Tynemouth. Free. Vieux Carré Hot 4 (12 noon); Rendezvous Jazz (1:00pm); Castillo Nuevo Trio (2:00pm); Classic Swing (3:00pm); Abbie Finn Trio (4:00pm). Day 1/2.
Sat 11: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man + Adam Millington @ St John’s Chapel, Town Hall, Weardale DL13 1QF. 5:00pm (doors). £16.26., £10.84., £8.67., £5.42 (under 18).
Sat 11: Milne Glendinning Band @ Langley Tracks, Langley-on-Tyne. 5:30pm.
Sat 11: Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:30pm.
Sat 11: Karberry Big Band @ Forest Hall Social Club. 7:00pm. £7.00.
Sat 11: Ray Quinn: The King of Swing @ The Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

A Tale of the Unexpected. Nick Gill's Byzantines @ Saville Exchange, North Shields.

Nick Gill (pno/vcl), Jake Gill (gtr/6 str.bjo/vcl), Debbie Arthurs (dms/vcl), James Evans (clt/alt/vcl), Pete Morgan (bs). I went to this gig, last night, not knowing what to expect or, to be more accurate, expecting a conventional classic jazz type outfit. All the musicians are very established players on the classic jazz circuit with the possible exception of young Jake Gill – a talented player and a name to watch out for. Imagine my surprise when I encountered an evening of mostly original music – songs at that, on varying topics loosely in a 20s era, Temperance Seven, Bonzo Dog, early dance band , varsity ball sort of vein. There were a few items from the familiar repertoire – "Dr Jazz" (a tour de force from Evans on alto plus his unmiked vocal), "High Society" (Evans, now on clarinet, playing the obligatory solo), "Dinah" (with period vocal and Djangoesque solo from Gill) but, apart from some novelty piano rag solo pieces from Nick in the break, all of the rest was original material. Mostly composed by Nick Gill but with a couple of songs written by his associates. Songs ranged from nostalgic, haunting –"The Station", to varsity ball "Do the Yak", novelty "Mr Exstein’s X Ray Ears" to macabre "Angel (of death)". Material wide ranging in subject matter and feel, albeit within the general style as outlined above. Nick Gill snr is a fine ragtime/stride pianist, nephew Jake plays good 6 string banjo and Django inspired guitar – and both also sing nicely in that early dance band, light vocal style. Debbie Arthurs is now a hugely popular figure on the trad circuit – neat, swinging drums plus delightful, youthful vocals. Check out her own band ‘Sweet Rhythm’ or her work with players such as Spats Langham. James Evans is a virtuoso clarinet/alto player with a fast growing reputation. He has fluent, immaculate technique – a top drawer player in his chosen idiom. Surprise band member was Pete Morgan on bass. A fine player with a ‘modern’ style that has seen him play with such as Don Rendell, Tony Lee and many visiting American soloists. Great walking bass plus nice Slam Stewart type solos too. All in all, an enjoyable and very intriguing evening. Hats off to Nick Gill and the gang for resolutely doing something so ‘out of the ordinary’.
Roly. (Photo of James Evans taken earlier in the week at Abersoch by John Taylor - Lance)
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1 comment :

MikeD said...

Thanks Roly, glad you enjoyed the concert. A lot is talked about the need to encourage young(er) musicians, so a shame that more of the Saville Exchange regulars didn't turn out for this one. Ah well, a promoter's life is never an easy one! Lots more adventurous traditional jazz in just three weeks at the Whitley Bay International Jazz Festival (includind Debbie's Sweet Rhythm) with 30 bands and 152 musicians from 10 different countries, so let's hope that one is a sell-out!

MikeD

Sunday, June 21, 2009 12:29:00 PM

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