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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Monday, December 14, 2009

Chomping @ The Cherry Tree. Jim Birkett Trio with Sue Ferris.

Jim Birkett (gtr), Sue Ferris (ten/flt), Neil Harland (bs), Rob Walker (dms).
Delightful, the word that springs to mind. Refreshing is another.
No furrowed brows required tonight this is good, honest, straight down the middle jazz and no cheating - as a certain Mr Basie was once quoted as saying when asked to define his kind of music - it's mine too.
The band sans Sue opened up with, to quote Jim, "Stomping at the Cherry Tree" or should it have been "Chomping at the Cherry Tree" because, as I have said before, the food is very chompworthy.
Sue came on and blew "All of Me" shades of Lester or Zoot and the perfect accoutrement to Scottish Smoked Salmon with Shallots, Capers, Sour Cream and Lemon Rye Bread. I'm not sure if Sue influenced my tastebuds or the Scottish Salmon coloured my eardrums - either way they worked well together.
"Don't Get Around Much Anymore" - not true in my case - had some very masculine tenor from Sue and I hope she will treat that as a compliment and not an overtly sexist remark. What I mean is the sound was big and booting as befits the song.
Paradoxically, on "Killing Me Softly With His Song", played on flute the feeling was totally feminine - OMG! Lance, when you're in a hole stop digging! Just shut up and eat your main course.
Let's talk turkey.
Roast turkey breast or should I say chest? Chipolata sausage, Winter Vegetables, Cranberries and Red Wine Sauce. In its own sweet way as palatable as "All The Things You Are". Jim had some flowing lines that dovetailed around Sue in a most fugue like fashion.
Interval time.
All of the tables appeared to be taken and the diners were generous with their applause. On the next table a guy was making a pass at his girlfriend by which I mean he was name-dropping Joe Pass then looking in the direction of Jim Birkett - knowledgeable crowd tonight.
Ron - the man who Barbicaned Rollins - was in, along with good lady and son. We chatted about Gunther Schuller's conclusion that Rollin's "Blue 7" from his "Saxophone Colossus" album was the perfect jazz solo - maybe.
Now Sue Ferris would be the last person to compare herself to Sonny Rollins - she's prettier for a start - but there were times during her solo on "On the Sunnyside of the Street" when I felt it would be impossible to select a better combination of notes.
Being Xmas, the obligatory seasonal tunes were played. "Xmas Song" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" being the chosen ones.
Now Xmas songs are much maligned among musicians but generally speaking they are darn good tunes that with different words would be year round standards.
The final "Wee Small Hours" delivered on flute was positively poetic and bore comparision to the Mulled Fruits and Ginger Ice Cream that I finished off with - both hit the spot.
A couple remarked as they left, "This place has a buzz about it."
I think she's right.
Lance.
PS: Not forgetting 'Mister Perfect' on bass and the sensitive drumming of Rob Walker - he too had an almost melodic solo on "Sunnyside of the Street".

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