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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

17744 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 64 of them this year alone and, so far, 64 this month (Jan. 26).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.

February 2025

Sat 01: Alan Barnes & John Hallam with the Tom Kincaid Trio @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - Cy Coleman’s Witchcraft. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 01: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 01: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Western swing etc.

Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 02: Jive Aces @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Sun 02: John Pope + Andy Champion + Ian Paterson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Subterranean Explorations 1’. Three (half hour) solo bass sets.
Sun 02: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Friday, July 02, 2010

Maurice Summerfield

I had intended to say a few words about Maurice Summerfield who I knew well during my 30 years in the Music Trade.
However, I think the following press release that came out in May this year when Maurice was made an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (HonARAM) encapsulates his many achievements...
"The Governing Body of the Royal Academy of Music in London recently elected UK Music Industry veteran Maurice Summerfield an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (HonARAM).
Lord Burns, Chairman of the Academy’s Governing Body, presented Maurice with his HonARAM certificate on Tuesday 11th May 2010, at an informal celebration in the Royal Academy’s Duke’s Hall, London.
For many years Maurice actively promoted concerts and clinics in the UK by many famous jazz guitarists including Barney Kessel, Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Charlie Byrd, Martin Taylor, Ike Isaacs and by guitarists from other fields of music including classical, flamenco, ragtime and blues.
Maurice Summerfield is the author of three critically acclaimed books The Jazz Guitar - Its Evolution, Players & Personalities Since 1900, first published in the United Kingdom in 1978, and now in its fourth edition, The Classical Guitar - Its Evolution, Players & Personalities Since 1800, first published in the United Kingdom in 1982, and now in its fifth edition, and Barney Kessel – A Jazz Legend published in October 2008.
Maurice introduced Joe Pass to the Ibanez guitar company, and also provided them with basic plans and ideas for a Joe Pass guitar. Joe and Maurice had worked out the special features of this guitar in 1978 when Joe was playing at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London. This guitar eventually became Ibanez’s very successful Joe Pass JP 20 model.
Maurice also had the Ibanez company consider a Barney Kessel model. Three prototype guitars were produced to Barney’s specifications, and Barney really liked the third one. He used it on a European concert tour in 1979. However, in the end, no agreement was finalised and the guitar was never commercially produced.
In 1974 Maurice introduced a line of replica Maccaferri/Selmer guitars called the CSL Gypsy. Maurice met Mario Maccaferri for the first time in New York later that year and a close friendship of almost 20 years began. During this time Mario worked together with Maurice on some other Maccaferri models."
Also, on 11 November 2009, at the Drapers Hall in the City of London, UK music industry veteran Maurice was installed as Master of the Worshipful Company of Musicians (Musicians Livery Company) at a meeting of the Court of the Company. On the same evening a banquet to celebrate the installation was held for liverymen and their guests at the Drapers Hall.
Principal Guests were guitarist John Williams and his wife Dr Kathy Panama, famed record producer Trevor Horn, US music publisher William Bay, author and music scholar Graham Wade and CEO of the UK Music Industries Association Paul McManus. The other guests included jazz guitarist Martin Taylor and composer Stephen Dodgson.
The Eden Stell Guitar Duo played a concert at the end of the dinner in which they gave the world premiere of Latin Serenade for the City of London - a work composed by the Argentinian composer Jorge Morel. The composer has dedicated this work to the Musicians Company on the occasion of Maurice Summerfield's installation as Master of the Company.
(Photo of the event: Left to Right - Dr Kathy Panama, John Williams, Maurice Summerfield, and Pat Summerfield..)
Lance.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

I treasure my CSL Mac copy. It is a great guitar. Thanks MS for making it affordable for me.

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