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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

17641 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 915 of them this year alone and, so far, 60 this month (Dec. 26).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.
Tue 31: Jan Spencelayh Quartet @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 5:00-9:00pm. A NYE ‘Dinner-Dance’ event. £42.99. Featuring special guest Mick Donnelly.
Tue 31: Jack Logan @ The Robin Hood Inn, East Wallhouses NE18 0LL. Tel: 01434 672549. 7:00pm. £59.95. ‘New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner’. Rat Pack etc.

January 2025

Wed 01: Revolutionaires @ The Old Barrel (Flatties), Boldon Colliery. 3:30pm. Free. Excellent rhythm & blues.

Thu 02: ???

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: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

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: 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.

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, 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)

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

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