Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 2025).

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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sat 11: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 11: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 12: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: King Bees @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.
Sun 12: Dave Bottomley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.
Sun 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 13: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Raymond MacDonald & Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £TBC.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, November 28, 2009

Gig of the Year - The story so far....

... Joshua Redman Trio/Guy Barker Orch @ The Sage. (Chris Yates) Sheila Jordan @ The Sage (Evening perf.) (Roly Veitch, Hil Gil & Alan Rudd). Sheila Jordan @ The Sage (afternoon perf.) (Chris Finch & Jim McDowell). Norma Winstone @ The Sage. (Debra Milne). Alan Glen Trio @ The Chilli (local) (Chris Finch & Harley Johnson) Music of Duke Ellington + Billy Strayhorn (featuring Northern Sinfonia, Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra and Tim Garland) (Jim McDowell & Harley Johnson) Julian Arguelles Trio + John Abercrombie @ The Sage. (Harley Johnson). Chicago South Side session with Matthias Seuffert (Germany) and René Hagmann (Switzerland) at Whitley Bay International Jazz Festival. (Mike Durham) Virtuoso Jazz Trio @ Ashington Jazz Club. (John Taylor) Vasilis Xenopoulos @ Blaydon Jazz Club. (local) (Derek Cogger) Vasilis Xenopoulos @ Cherry Tree Restaurant. (Peter). Sonny Rollins @ The Barbican (Derek Cogger & Ron Ainsborough). Laurie Holloway Trio @ Leeds College of Music. (Liz). Ryan Quigley Sextet - Scarborough Jazz Festival. (Lance, Eric Stutt & Mike Gibson) Tomasz Stanko @ The Sage. (Fred Grand). Any Brian Bennett gig (Barry Aitchison). Any Clare Teal gig. (Sue Vickers-Thompson). Duology @ The Bridge. (Russell). Zoe Gilby & Andy Champion @ Blaydon Jazz Club (Hil., Roly) Jon Taylor @ Blaydon Jazz Club. (Eddie Carson). Budvivar @ The Chilli. (Allan). Gilad Azmon @ The Sage. (Toots) Mark Williams Trio @ The Bridge Jazzathon. (Robert Laing). Send us your choice asap. Lance.

19 comments :

John Taylor said...

Not been to many away gigs this year so I'm torn between "X" last week at Blaydon and Virtuoso Jazz at the Elephant. my vote goes to the Virtuoso Jazz trio at the Elephant.

Mike Durham said...

Hi Lance - the Chicago South Side session with Matthias Seuffert (Germany) and René Hagmann (Switzerland) at Whitley Bay International Jazz Festival last July: "Hotter Than That", as Louis would have said......

Mike.

Derek Cogger said...

Not sure whether choice has to be local, if it is my choice would be Vasilis Xenopoulos at Blaydon Jazz Thursday November 12th; if not then without doubt it would have to be Sonny Rollins at The Barbican Saturday 14th November. It was worth the hassle!

Liz said...

Laurie Holloway Trio. Call it a generation thing but it was a privilege & an honour to experience this man in his 7th decade having, throughout his long career accompanied the glitterazzi of show biz & the very best of artists. His lovely mellifluous tones just don't get any better than this, but also his accompanist bass & drums were quite wonderful, also importantly you never had that cringing feeling that here was a man who was perhaps past his best..he is as good as ever.
Liz.

Fred Grand said...

Lots of great stuff to choose from this year, but I'd have to go for the most recent - Tomasz Stanko.
I almost plumped for Eric Boeren's group at The Side in February, but really only because Paul Lovens was so great playing jazz instead of improv!! Stanko had it all and satisfied me on every level. Just got round to writing it up on Afric Pepperbird by the way, but I appreciate your own review and can understand why it may not have appealed.
Fred

Barry Aitchison (via Facebook) said...

All of Brian Bennett's jazz is the best all round.

Sue Vickers-Thompson (via Facebook) said...

No, anything of Clare Teal's! We missed the event of the year, which was the live recording of her latest album, because of the snow but the album is great!

Jim McDowell said...

1 Music of Ellington/Strayhorn with the Northern Sinfonia
and the Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra @ The Sage.

2 Sheila Jordan in the afternoon @ The Sage with Brian Kellog

(Jim McDowell)

Eric Stutt said...

Has to be Ryan Quigley Sextet at Scarborough Jazz Fest.
Eric

Peter said...

I would have to vote for the Vasy -Paul Edis trio gig at the Cherry Tree restaurant on Friday 13th November. For me the music, the food, the buzz and the company I kept all contributed to a great gig.

Debra said...

Can't remember the exact date (?sometime in May & can't find it on the net, but Lance will know), but I really enjoyed Norma Winstone at The Sage.

Russell said...

Hi Lance

So many good gigs this year, so difficult to choose. A long list whittled down to a short list of three. Matana Roberts @ Live Theatre (April), Tony Kofi with Paul Edis Trio @ Highfield Hotel (May) and Duology @ Bridge Hotel (November). The winner is...Duology, not because it is fresh in the memory, just because...

Russell

Alan Rudd said...

From the band's point of view the gig we did at Ashington Jazz Club with Bob Ludlam was perhaps the pick of the bunch, although we still have a gig to play at Gateshead Fell with John Crocker on 18th December. We did the same gig last year with John Crocker for the Xmas party at the Fell, we had Ray Harley on guesting on trumpet that night, and it was a fabulous night. That was definately our gig of last year.

As regards other peoples gigs, the only one that comes to mind is a gig we went to earlier in the year at the Sage, The evening session with Sheila Jordan & the Brian Kellock trio, we really enjoyed that one!(Although I'm not sure if will rank alongside Any gig by Brian Bennett! - I find have difficulty in taking the banjo seriously since someone informed me that the accepted definition of Perfect Pitch is the ability to throw a banjo into a skip from 20 yards without it touching the sides! )

Hil said...

Sheila Jordan & Brian Kellock @ The Sage

+

(I know some folks will say I am biased)
Zoe Gilby & Andy Champion duo @ Blaydon Jazz Club took some beating as far as I am concerned.

Toots of Jesmond Vale said...

It has to be Gilad Atzmon's concert at The Sage.

S.Cowell said...

"You guys have no taste. The gig of the year will undoubtedly be
the Jools Holland concert next week at the City Hall with special
star guest Brian Bennett on banjo!" Simon.

Bill Montgomery said...

Sorry Simon but Gig of the Year nominations can't be made in advance of the concert. We don't yet know if Jools can meet Mr Bennett's fee. I did hear that there was talk of raffling a CD and a bottle of plomk in the interval to go towards it.
Bill Montgomery.

Jools said...

The bottle of plonk IS Mr Bennett's fee.

Mike Gibson said...

Lance.
I would agree with you and pick Ryan Quigley particularly as it was a band that had not previously toured prior to receiving the Jazz Services Promoters' Choice award.
Best wishes
Mike
Mike Gordon
Scarborough Jazz Festival Director
Scarborough Jazz @ The Cask Promoter

Blog Archive