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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

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

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.

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

Friday, January 08, 2010

Blue Horizons by Chris Yates

Blue Horizons by Chris Yates. Farthings Design and Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4092-9004-9. £9.99. (The review below was initially posted in September before the sad loss of the author. Out of respect I have not changed the tense. As more copies are now available I have re-posted it.)
Jazz North East Director Supreme, Jazz Journalist and Master of the Adjective, Chris Yates has finally got around to putting his memories of promoting and writing about jazz into book form.
"Blue Horizons" is an entertaining and informative read covering Chris' involvement in jazz from his early days in Hull to the present in Newcastle.
It's an easy read and not at all the brow-furrowing tome one might have anticipated from an academic of Chris Yates standing - I'm pleased to say.
The anecdotes abound as can be expected from someone who has spent maybe 30/40 years rubbing shoulders with the jazz greats.
It has amusing stories that make compelling reading although the author has avoided going down a 'warts and all' path as I'm sure he could have done. I suspect that Chris is too much of a gentleman and has too much respect for the musical past of the artists concerned to wish to tarnish their image.
That he could have done I know first hand having been a part of the Jazz North East team at the time many of the events related occurred.
Even without the warts it is essential reading for those who wish to look back at that Golden Age when the person standing next to you at the bar of the Corner House could easily be Lockjaw Davis or Sweets Edison.
Highly recommended.
Lance.
(Enquiries to lanceliddle@gmail.com) PS: I have just heard that a request for Sydney Bechet's "Blue Horizons" and dedicated to Chris will be played on tomorrow's Jazz Record Requests (5:00pm Radio 3).

1 comment :

Roly said...

I just finished reading it last night - a very enjoyable read. I'm not much of a reader to be honest -when I start to read (in bed usually) I seem to nod off after just a few lines. So I never get anything read!!
But once I started this book I found it quite compelling and so read it all in just a couple of days. I think because I could closely relate to the story - my own induction into jazz was via
60s R&B and folk blues, then local trad bands at clubs, then beyond. And I too have great affection and respect for all styles across the board.
Also a lot of the local JNE gigs I was there of course so it brought back lots of memories. Some nice little anecdotes too.
It's a fine contribution, to local jazz especially, to have things documented this way.
Congratulations and well done Chris.
Roly

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