Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 5:15pm or 5:45pm (times tbc). Part of the Alnwick Story Festival's music fringe programme: Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Joseph O’Brien: The Ultimate Tribute to Frank Sinatra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. O’Brien & seven piece band (inc. Wendy Kirkland, Jim Corry & Pat Sprakes).
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 02: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £10.00. Day 3/3.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: Side Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Derwentwater Road, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Milne Glendinning Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30pm.
Sun 02: Bella by Barlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 02: Ali Watson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, December 06, 2009

Just a reminder that TODAY is SUNDAY @ The BRIDGE ALL DAY!

Today, Sunday looks like being the Sunday to end all Sundays except it is but the beginning!
The action takes place in the Bridge Hotel, appropriately sited at the Newcastle end of the High Level Bridge, where a cast, comprising of the regions Prima "Donna Lee's," will strut it.
The event is entitled Splinter, so it is only fitting that 'Splinter' - the shavings from the Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra should fire the opening shots.
They are a fantastic octet(?) with some brilliant arrangements and knockout soloists.
Splinter are there from High (Level) Noon.
-----
1:15 in the post meridien sees HCW step up to the plate. Christos Worsley on bass, Ed Carr on guitar and John Hirst on drums are known and fondly remembered from the Side Café so look for some jazz funk grooves.
-----
ACV was formed by Bassist Andy Champion as a vehicle to showcase his compositions. The music draws from his main influences - Jazz, Progressive Rock and Metal with a healthy amount of free-improvisation thrown in for good measure. 2:15 blast off.
-----
An hour later, Mark Williams - in my humble opinion, definitely the North-east's, probably the UK's, possibly even The World's most versatile Irish jazz guitarist living in Newcastle, takes over for a trio set. (ps: I bet he's pretty big on Jupiter too!)
-----
At 4:15 it really is High Noon with La deux Chanteuse d'Cullercoats going head to head. Zoe and Ruth are in training for this one!
-----
5:15 sees Claude Werner unleashing the fastest tenor saxophone around - this guy don't take no prisoners this guy. Nor does his quartet. Powerful.
-----
6:15 it's the turn of the Safe Sextet who tunnelled out of the Jazz Cafe to be here. They should take some fans back with them - solid band.
-----
7:15 If you'e still standing, Saxophonics will show you just how a saxophone ensemble should sound - their accuracy is frightening!
-----
8:15 Alter Ego tread the boards - bebop and beyond is spoken there!
-----
9:15 Tiptoe carefully across the dead bodies that, after 9 hours of drinking in the music and the ale, have succumbed to one or the other. Choose a seat facing the direction of your homeward journey because, when Extreme Measures light the blue touchpaper you ain't gonna need no Metro or taxi cab. This is music that will lift you out of your seat and send you home rejoicing on a wing and a prayer.
-----
All this for a mere £4! Sounds like a bargain to end all bargains - start queing now.
I said at the beginning that this was the beginning and it is - Sunday evenings at the Bridge are going to be the place to be beginning the week after.
Lance.

No comments :

Blog Archive