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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

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 w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
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.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

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

SPLINTER @ THE BRIDGE - NEWCASTLE

This was a JAZZATHON!
Nonstop from Noon till late evening it was standing room only as the cream of the local crop were heard to their best advantage.
I missed most of the opening set from Splinter but what I heard sounded good.
Splinter were followed by HCW and AVC. Look to Russell for review of the three openers.
By the time the Mark Williams Trio - that's Mark on guitar, David Carnegie (dms) and Paul Susans (bs) - took to the stage I'd settled in ready to face the music if you'll pardon the pun. I should explain I was coming off the back of a cold and still felt a bit groggy.
Mark was simply superb playing original compo's that soon took my mind away from the fever. So smooth and mellow, or so I thought before he went into, according to Russell, a John Schofield blast. With David Carnegie punching things along and Paul Susans big fat bass sound adding to the overall this raised the bar by about ten metres and it was a 'follow that' situation.
Ruth Lambert took up the challenge and did indeed 'follow that' - in a duo set with Mark remaining on stage.
Not that it was easy for Ruth - a few mic./speaker problems caused some uncertainty but she kept her cool and the audience were behind her so that by the time she laid out "This is Always" it was okay.
Zoe and Andy Champion followed with their duo set which included "Take it Easy - But Take It" - words and music by Bebop Spoken Here correspondent George Milburn.
Nice one George.
Then came the surprize - a duet by Zoe and Ruth! No less a number than Peggy Lee's "I'm a Woman - w-o-m-a-n."
Brought the house down. Well done girls.
The Claude Werner Quartet with Claude on tenor, Mark Williams on guitar, Laurence Blackadder (bs) and David Carnegie (dms) played some interesting pieces. In particular, "Sweet Stories" caught my ear with it's delicate 3/4 rhythm that suddenly burst into flames with Claude's gladiatorial entry.
It was all very enjoyable then suddenly, in the final number, it exploded into a metallic like thrash that had guitar and tenor screaming into orbit like two comets soaring through an inter gallactic explosion.
Whew!
This was it - nobody could follow that! Not least the Safe Sextet.
Who?
This is the resident band from the Jazz Café and with Paul Gowland and John Rowland on tenors and Don Forbes, tumpet, they went for it! Steve Doyle (dms), Barrie Ascroft (bs) and Alan Laws (pno) kept it all moving with Alan playing some fine two-fisted piano and the horns 'blowing for gold'.
An excellent hard bop set that lost nothing by comparision.
Saxophonics and Alter Ego were yet to come - Extreme Measures having pulled out - but by this time I was ready to join the walking dead so I opted out.
All in all a successful day that I hope carries on in the coming Sunday evening gigs - next week it is HCW and Legoland.
Well done Adrian Tilbrook who organised, played drums, took photos, handed out packets of crisps, compered and generally kept things running to schedule. If you read this, Adrian, you will know your hard work was appreciated.
Lance.
PS: If asked to award a 'Man of the match award" It would have go to Mark Williams for his sheer versatility in so many different settings.

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