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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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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.
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.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

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.

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

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Contraband Discovered Near Blyth Beach

Vicky Wadsworth (vcl), Jonathon Haslett ? (pno), Andy Lawrenson (bs), Richard Miles (dms).
Before the gig I spoke to the bass player and I couldn't help thinking that he looked a lot like Andy Lawrenson - violin player I knew from my music shop days. Lo and behold I check out the names on the Contraband website and - It is Andy Lawrenson! I must have changed even more than he has. Anyhow my excuse is that I knew him as a violin player - I guess the doggone thing grew up on him!
Anyway, back to the music. Difficult to judge a band as sophisticated as Contraband are when they are playing to a scattered al fresco audience in a windswept park. Nevertheless, despite the conditions, they had a good polished sound with Vicky Wadsworth yet another outstanding vocalist to arrive on the scene.
On their site they look positively debonair - on the sea front at Blyth, debonair gave way to practicality. Overcoats and sweaters were the order of the day - even the pianist wore gloves which may account for some of the rich full chords he played behind Vicky's vocals.
"Summertime", Bill Wither's "Ain't No Sunshine", Norah Jones' "You Don't Have To", "Fly Me to The Moon" were just some of her vocals - put over with an attractive earthiness that in a different setting would have been showstopping.
A bit more volume and a bit less hurricane would have made the listening easier and saved the scores being scattered to the four winds and one of the seven seas.
I'd have stayed for the second set but, unlike the band and the wiser members of the audience I didn't have an overcoat.
Hope to catch you again guys.
As a matter of non-musical interest, the Great North Bike Ride Was taking place - over 2000 cyclists. I felt quite nostalgic for the good old days of cycling down to Richmond (N.Yorks) and back or climbing up to Nenthead near Alston as was once my wont. By coincidence, a couple of the band have connections with both of those places.
Click here for Photos. (The above photo was taken by John Taylor - I was totally unaware!)
Lance.
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