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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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 02, 2009

Hot House Dragons invade the Chilli

Judith Thompson (vln), Willie Angus, Mathew Office (gtr), Jack Lowes (bs).
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Dave Weisser (tpt/vcl), Mathew Office (gtr), Jim Crinson (bs), Barrie Ascroft (pno), Eric Stutt (dms.)
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Another good evening at The Chilli with a stomping set by The Hot House Dragons being the icing on the cake.
Perhaps not as well known collectively as some of the other 'gypsies' lurking in the caravan park the 'Dragons' are, nevertheless, un equipe formidable.
Judith does the Grappelli thing with much aplomb - watch and listen to her sail effortlessly through "Dinah", "Stella By Starlight", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Georgia on my Mind" and "Lady Be Good" - and Lady Judith can swing good - witness a scintillating version of "Bernie's Tune" and "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing".
The two guitarists offered contrasting approaches. Willie, more like Django, with his Takemine amplified acoustic had that hard metallic sound associated with the idiom whereas young Mathew had the smoother post Django sound. A nice thing about this band is that they add folkier elements into the mix so that it isn't totally Djangolic and they didn't play "Nuages"! Also, unlike many gypsy jazzers, lead and rhythm isn't set out on plectrums of stone which means both players are given equal solo space which they used to display their talents effectively. Jack, on bass soloed imaginatively and kept the pulse rock steady. A band to watch.
Earlier, The Take it to the Bridge gang had played a satisfying set with Barrie Ascroft in particularly fine form. He was up there with the best tonight - his double helping of "Winter Wonderland" more than did justice to that much maligned song; Dave's vocal too was something else verging onto Tormé/Greco territory by way of Bobby McFerrin. For the finale both bands combined for a spirited blast on "St. Thomas".
There were some illustrious visitors tonight. Paul Booth's parents were in town and it was good to meet them. They run the Harbour Jazz Club in Ramsgate and seem to get some decent names including of course their son so, any time you're Ramsgate way...
No Jazz next week - room let out for private function - back on 16th with Alan Glen Trio.
Lance.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

. tis was cool djazzyschmazz

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