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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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

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: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
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

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Too Marvelous for Words - Alan Glen Trio and Take It To The Bridge @ The Chilli. Dec 16.

Alan Glen (pno), John Pope (bs), David Carnegie (dms).
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Dave Weisser (tpt/vcl/whistling), Barrie Ascroft (pno), Jim Crinson (bs), Eric Stutt (dms) + Tom Dibb (gtr), James ? (gtr), David Carnegie (pno).
There simply isn't enough superlatives left in 'Mr Webster's Dictionary' to describe the Alan Glen Trio. Nor his rarely repeated selection of tunes.
"On Green Dolphin Street", "Over The Rainbow", Clifford Brown's "Sandu", "Four", "Darn That Dream", "Thou Swell" and a semi-original called, appropriately enough, "Something Borrowed, Something Blue" a piece composed by Alan that leans, he told me, in places on possibly a Hampton Hawes composition.
The ideas flowed faster from the Glen fingers than the rain that was 'stair-rodding' outside did from the heavens. It was a roller coaster ride we wished would never end. When it did end, after an encore on "If I Were a Bell", the adrenalin was coursing boy was that 'drenny' coursing!
John Pope has slotted in well with the trio the rich fullness of sound providing a solid foundation. He also solos with humour and invention.
On drums, David Carnegie drove things along - awesome power, agility and kickass confidence are his middle names. Trading punches in the "Fours" routine that inevitably concluded the swingers he kept his compatriots on their toes and, as ever, his featured solo was dexterity personified.
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Earlier, Take It To The Bridge had created the relaxed Chilli ambience with Dave in good voice on "A Foggy Day" he also threw in some whistling on "Well You Needn't" (but he did!).
Tom Dibb (say hello to your folks for me Tom - we met at East Rainton), who is currently foregoing the charms of his native Rotherham, sat in and played some fine guitar culminating in a wild blast on "Billie's Bounce" in the later Jam Session. Drummer Carnegie played piano on this one - his solo was pretty outré too.
Former regular James took over on guitar for "Beautiful Love" and "Stella By Starlight" a couple of tunes he is not totally unfamiliar with.
Eric Stutt booted things along before and after the main event as did Jim and Barrie on bass and piano respectively.
It was a good night topped off by my winning of the raffled CD - a compillation of Bob Berg tracks some of which featured Mike Stern on guitar. I'm sure this was arranged by Roly Veitch and God from their distant habitats - Roly over there in Blaydon and God up there sheltering from the rain - as Roly and I had been talking about Mike Stern only a couple of days previous and I'd confessed my unfamiliarity with the guitarist's work. R and G move in mysterious ways their wonders to perform. In Roly's case those wonders will be performed when he presents and hopefully sits in with Roy Williams and Johnny Barnes at tonight's (Thursday Dec. 17) Xmas Party at Blaydon - another unmissable event. Be there.
Talking Xmas parties - next Wednesday is party night at the Chilli with Budvivar.
Lance.
(As a show of respect a photo of the late Darren Grainger was displayed at the back of the stage. Nice gesture Dave.)

1 comment :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

For me Billie's Bounce was the highlight of the evening.

Russell

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