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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ 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: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

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, 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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