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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18018 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 339 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (May 7).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: The Greatest in Jazz - Guitarists.
Thu 15: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 15: New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). John Garner & John Pope.

Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Sophie Speed with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ Longframlington Memorial Hall. 7:00pm (doors). Tickets: £12.00. from 01665 570984.
Fri 16: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.
Fri 16: Peter Donegan & Anthony Donegan @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. ‘Lonnie Donegan - The Stories’.

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. 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

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Cookin' @ The Chilli - Budvivar, Take it to the Bridge & Applecake

Debra Milne (vcl), Stuart Findon, Fiona Littlewood (ten), Nicola Weaver (bar), Chris Finch (pno), Jim Crinson (bs), Eric Stutt (dms). + Harley Johnson.
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Dave Weisser (tpt/vcl/oven), Barrie Ascroft (pno), Jim Crinson (bs), Eric Stutt (dms). + Stuart Findon, Harley Johnson.
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This is the way it should be every week at the Chilli - good crowd, good music and good food.
Well the music's always good, but the room isn't always crowded and the food is usually a packet of cheese and onion from the bar. However, tonight it's Xmas so all three were in evidence.
Let's talk food.
If you ain't tasted Dave Weisser's applecake then you ain't tasted nothin'! I know I've just laid a double negative on you - let the grammar police arrest me - but please, officer, don't take the applecake away. Yes Dave Weisser made this delicacy with his own fair(ish) hands from a recipe that was probably handed down to him by a backwoodsman out in the Ozarks.
Eat your heart out Jamie Oliver this is the real deal.
As if that wasn't enough we had a stomping set from Budvivar who set the pulses racing with a mix of bebop and jive. In the latter category "Hit That Jive Jack" (dedicated to yours truly thank you Debs) ticked all the right boxes - this was musical applecake. The boppers ranged from the opening instrumental "Groovin' High" through Debra's vocal on "Billie's Bounce" to her Horace Silver work-outs on "The Jody Grind" - or should it be re-named "The Geordie Grind"? - and "Nica's Dream".
Debra sang well tonight and the three saxes were pound-sound. Nicola's baritone brings a depth to the band that they didn't quite achieve with the trombone. Fiona, all legs tonight, her lighter sound provided a contrast to Nicola's lyricism and Stuart's gut-wrenching "soulo" flights. At times they came across like a Ray Charles sax section.
Chris, risen from his sickbed, on piano had some impressive moments as did Harley who took over for "Round Midnight".
In the engine room, Jim, on five string fretless, and Eric powered the ship along with relentless precision. I think Eric has changed his cymbal set-up around it sounded good.
Eric and Jim played non-stop both before, during and after the main event.
Dave was in fine voice on "Stella By Starlight" and "Darn That Dream". Dream coincided with the arrival of Paul Bream prompting someone to suggest he should sing "Darn That Bream"!
Stuart stayed on for the jam and Harley rode the night out on "Blue Bossa".
An excellent evening and well attended - they must have heard about the applecake.
Next session - the Alan Glen Trio on Jan 6, 2010.
Check out the Photos. Lance.
PS: Woody Herman did "Applehoney", Gerry Mulligan, "Applecore" but which British band recorded "Applecake"? A clue. Monk played trombone on the track.

5 comments :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

A* to Applecake Dave, Stuart and Harley. A** to Eric and Jim.

Russell

Robbie said...

I've never heard of monk playing trombone but if he did it would be probably at Ronnie Scott's with somebody like Stan Tracey.

Lance said...

Sorry Robbie - not Stan Tracey.

eric said...

Lance Hi Lance the only band I can recall playing Applecake Is EARL BOSTIC. I think released in 2006

Lance said...

Sorry Eric but I did say British Band.

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