Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 2026)

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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

From This Moment On

September.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 24: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. .

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.

Mon 21: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. Coltrane centenary.

Tue 22: ???

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A John Coltrane Centenary Concert (b. 23. 09. 1926). SOLD OUT!
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Hot House Dragons & Take It to The Bridge @ The Chilli

Hot House Dragons: Judith Thompson (vln), Willie Angus, Matt Office (gtrs), Jack Lowe (bs).
Take It To The Bridge: Dave Weisser (tpt/vcl), Doug Fielder (ten), Chris Finch (pno), Barrie Ascroft (bs gtr), Eric Stutt (dms). + Harley Johnson (pno).
Tonight was a night to make decisions - The John Escreet Project at The Sage or the Hot House Dragons at the Chilli.
I checked the JEP Project out online and decided I would leave the Sage in Russell's capable hands and settle for the Chilli.
This was the second visit by the Dragons to the Chilli and once again they displayed an in-depth feeling for Gypsy Jazz. In fact so authentic was Judith I half expected her to be selling clothes pegs and telling fortunes in-between solos (that is a compliment Judith - honest!).
"Georgia's" Brown and Mind were played with a Grappelli-like fluency by the lady of the ensemble and the guitars soloed and thrashed with true Hot Club intensity. Angus' accoustic-electric had a country feel about it at times whereas Matt's solos could have transcended the Champs Elysees for 52nd St. Particularly on "Bernie's Tune". In the absence of a drummer, Jack the Bass was vital and he kept it tight throughout.
Having said that, for me, the best number of the night was when Eric sat in on drums for "Lady Be Good" - his crisp brushwork added an extra dimension.
For "Now's The Time", Dave joined on trumpet and Harley sat in on piano. There were problems for our boy here. Don't ask me to explain but the volume wasn't there and he struggled to be heard.
Earlier, a new face from Cumbria, Doug Fielder, blew tenor with Take It To The Bridge on standards such as "Love Walked In", "Green Dolphin Street", "Shadow of Your Smile", "Autumn Leaves" and Jimmy Van Heusen's "Imagination".
Chris Finch, now a BSH reviewer, proved he has all the jazz savvy for the task with some fine keyboardistics.
Dave W blew both open and muted and sang good as well as re-counting more tales of his life in USA (including an unrepeatable Doris Day story!).
It was an unusual night.
Lance.
PS: I screwed up on the photos so none tonight unless the other person who took photos cares to send me some!
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