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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.

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: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. CANCELLED! 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

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.

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, August 05, 2010

Take It To The Bridge @ The Chillingham. August 4th.

Dave Weisser (trumpet, flugel horn & vocals), Alan Davis (clarinet), Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone), Andy Lee (alto saxophone & flute), Steve Whitfield (keyboards), Barrie Ascroft (electric bass), Rob Bates (drums) + Omid Ramak (drums) & Colm Rooney (keyboards).
Another week at the Chilli and another shift in focus with old and new faces featuring once more. Jim Crinson, the house band's bassist, was still 'vacationing' as Mr.Weisser would say, so it was down to stalwart Barrie Ascroft to vacate the piano stool and pick up the electric bass. Barrie's keyboard dep was the excellent Steve Whitfield. Tenor man Paul Gowland and altoist Andy Lee kept their place in the team having impressed Boss Man Weisser the previous week. Rob Bates was back behind the kit and the boys kicked-off with Hancock's Cantaloupe Island.
A major highlight came early in the first set - Weisser wanted to do But Beautiful having been inspired by alto saxophonist Caroline Bagley's superb reading of the tune at the Jazz Action gig in Stockton days earlier. Tenor, alto and piano soloed in turn and Weisser sang the words as good as one could wish to hear - great stuff.
The evening's special guest was clarinetist Alan Davis. Davis makes his living in the classical music world. His specialism is the Baroque yet at the Chilli he showed great faclility playing jazz standards. Leafing through the pages of the Gas Book - as discussed recently on Bebop Spoken Here - it shouldn't be too difficult to find these numbers...Lullaby of Birdland, Autumn Leaves and how about Blue Monk? Chillians got these and more from Davis. A quiet man, he played with real affection for the music. His band mates for the evening were in terrific form and a second set highlight, no, make that a highlight of my listening over recent weeks, was a fantastic version of My Favourite Things. Davis led the way and I kid you not, this was almost a reprise of Coltrane's masterly take on the tune. I didn't expect this from Davis (so much the better) and Rob Bates' work on this one was of Elvintine proportions with the tune made for Paul Gowland to blow and blow.
Late sitters-in were the regular jazz gig-going duo of Ramak and Rooney. Dizzy's Con Alma, a difficult tune to my ear, didn't faze Omid Ramak, he was right in there. Good stuff. Pianist Colm Rooney gave Steve Whitfield a spell and got stuck in. I'm sure these two young musicians will be heard elsewhere on the scene in the coming weeks and months - check them out. This was one of the really good nights at the Chilli. I'm sure there will be many more in the future.
Russell.
Note the session scheduled for August 25 is cancelled due to holiday commitments.

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