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

18918 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 782 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 18.) 61.

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.

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.

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.

Thu 24: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 24: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 24: Arun Ghosh @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £21.05. (£22.00. on the door). A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 24: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00.

Fri 25: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £9.00.
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: Get the Blessing + Dilettante @ The Cluny (Cluny 2), Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £18.00. + bf. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 25: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Alan Glen Trio Take it to the Bridge One More Time.

Alan Glen (pno), Jim Crinson (bs), David Carnegie (dms).
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Dave Weisser (tpt/vcl), Doug Fielder (ten), Barrie Ascroft (pno), Jim Crinson (bs), Mathew Office (gtr), Eric Stutt (dms).
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There are some nice things that happen monthly. Counteracting the bills there are things like a favourite magazine dropping through the letterbox, your paycheck going into the bank, the wife going to stay with her mother for a few days; an endless list. My monthly fix is when the Alan Glen Trio play the Chilli.
This is always an eagerly anticipated event even if tonight raised some initial doubts.
Doubts, I hasten to add, that were hastily dispelled.
In a nutshell, Pope, John, couldn't make the gig - presumably he had some Papal duties to perform - and regular Chilli Bull fiddle man Jim Crinson stepped into the breach totally unrehearsed.
The 'boy' did good! Jim handled everything that was dished up and emerged with his reputation untarnished.
Love For Sale, I Should Care, a Glen original entitled Big Deal in Ocho-Rios, Alone Together, What's New, It Could Happen to You and Autumn Leaves. A set list to salivate over and when played by Maestro Glen it is as near to perfection as you'll get on a cold night in Heaton (substitute Heaton with anywhere).
The flurry of notes, the (seemingly) eleven fingered chords, the sheer inventiveness of his improvisations - his fingers leave few notes untouched as he shows what can be done with the well-tempored klaviarchord - all serve to remind me why each monthly visit from the trio is eagerly awaited. Anyone with a modicum of interest in jazz should have been here tonight to witness an artist re-writing modern jazz piano.
David Carnegie, once again, as he did with Extreme Measures on Sunday, demonstrated his all-round versatility (of which we'll hear more).
Jim Crinson? He came off that stage a star.
Earlier, the Take it to the Bridge gang had played a set that had Dave working out on My Foolish Heart - he really got his chanting chops into this one.
Doug played a gentle, probing, tenor solo round the sequence keeping the mood going whilst, on guitar, young Mathew also had his say. I think Dave should let Matt play a trio/quartet feature with the rhythm section, give him a chance to fly.
In the final set the band did things to In Your Own Sweet Way and Whisper Not before David Carnegie returned to the stage - on piano.
The number was a blues in F - Blues For Duane.
David took the Freddie Hubbard tune to the cleaners. I can honestly say that this was the best blues piano solo by a drummer I've ever heard unless Harley Johnson's a drummer.
Lance

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