Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. 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

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Nina Ferro @ The Spice of Life

Nina Ferro (vcl), Grant Windsor (pno), Simon Little (bs), Martyn Kaine (dms).
Difficult one to pigeonhole - a mix of jazz, soul and good old rock 'n roll. Nina has a powerful voice that brought to mind Gladys Knight - the Queen of the Pips - as she strode through a selection of originals and vintage poppers (She opened with the Everly Brothers "All I Do Is Dream".) Her own "Tossing and Turning" was most certainly a rocker with Grant Windsor in Jerry Lee rather than John Lewis mode. Nevertheless whatever we call it it was crowd pleasing stuff.
Earlier the compere(ss) whose name I missed sang a more jazz orientated mini set. "Our Day Will Come", "Nearness of You" and "Teach Me Tonight".
There was an open mic set to come but by this time the day's oppressive heat had got to me so I called it an early night.
Prior to the gig, the chap on the door, after some banter, said to me "Newcastle? West Jesmond? Hebburn?"
I said how did you work that out?"
He replied "I lived in Edinburgh!"
Later he came over and gave me some tapes (Joe Harriott, Ronnie Ross w. MJQ live. Lennie Niehaus, Stan Getz.)
I thanked him and later he gave me a VHS of Supersax.
I thanked him again.
Next came a back issue of the Canadian Jazz magazine "Coda".
More thanks. I said, "I don't even know your name."
He replied, "I haven't got one!"
Nothing wrong with southern hospitality!
Lance.
Note for Angela - not a single bar of scatting!
at

3 comments :

David Francis said...

A nice surprise to see Martyn Kaine on the blog Lance. He went to school in Whitley Bay but has moved on to more exotic things - like playing with Kyle Eastwood and Eric Marienthal among others. He deserves all the success. He's a very nice guy and a fantastic drummer.

Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:51:00 am
Lance said...

If I'd known that David I'd have introduced myself.

Thursday, July 02, 2009 5:04:00 pm
Hil said...

We went to 'Spice' to see a lovely singer called Juliet Kelly. Zoe had been communicating with her on myspace.
The same nice man on the door gave Zoe some tapes. Perhaps he is just a very kind gentleman?..or maybe he thinks us Northerners need educating in the finer points of jazz...;o)

Thursday, July 02, 2009 5:47:00 pm

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