Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Cherry Tree

Lewis Watson (ten), Mark Williams (gtr), Neil Harland (bs), Rob Walker (dms).
Lew didn't take any prisoners tonight! Dindi, the opening Bossa might have begun as Dinner Jazz but it wasn't long before Lew was firing on all cylinders rolling out chorus after chorus - I lost count!
I'd almost forgotten just how brill a player he is - and this was just the starter!
Talking Starters... the Braised Squid with Beans and Slow Roast Cherry Tomatoes wasn't bad either - in fact it was as tasty as a Mark Williams' guitar solo which is very tasty indeed!
Days of Wine and Roses seemed somehow appropriate even though my favoured tipple was a bottle of Black Sheep.
Coltrane's Bessie's Blues was also apt as Lewis was in Coltrane mode tonight.
And then, after Bessie, came Nancy - her of the laughing face. If I never hear a better balllad performance than this I won't complain. Likewise my Bavette Steak with Frites, Peppercorn Butter and Garden Leaves - mmmm! Monsieur Le Chef - chapeaux!
The set finished with Out of Nowhere which had an intricate counterpoint chorus between Lewis and Mark as well as solid basswork from Neil who seems to pluck the right notes from, literally, Out of Nowhere.
Rob Walker also kicked in with a solo that helped my Plum Tart with Honey Mascarponi and Caramel Sauce slide comfortably into my abdomen.
Interval chat with Lewis, Bebop contributer JC and a surprize passerby - John Hedley.
More Blue Note Hard Bop in the second set - I Hear A Rhapsody, Come Rain or Come Shine, Stella By Starlight (both Mark and Lew really went for it on this one!), a danceable Body and Soul, Miles' Solar (I think) and a final Softly as in a Morning Sunrise.
Another good one at the CT.

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