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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ 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. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Monday, October 18, 2010

Threeway @ Scarborough Jazz Festival

(Annie O'Donnell takes a late look back at Threeway's Scarborough set last month.) Steve Waterman (tpt/flg), Ben Crosland (bs.gtr), Steve Lodder (keys).
1. CRYSTAL MORNING
A magical musical fusing of three into one swinging, interplaying, threeway sound - one unit which doesn't let you down, 2. WINE UNDER THE STARS
Crosland leads with bass guitar and Waterman trickles in like dew on a crocus, there, but so gentle - only a master has this kind of presence. 3. SUNSHINE AND SHOWERS My 12 yr old son Callum says, "Is this too easy for Steve - he plays so effortlessly. Why does he always play with his eyes and eyebrows?" SW calls you to rise to life, his staccato like songbirds swirling, in the elements. Steve Lodder is like a train of wild horses zig-zagging hands across the keys, solid, 4. BLUES FOR JEFF (Clyne) Steve Waterman's gentle swing with the walking bass of Ben Crosland taking us round and round with Steve Lodder picking up the tune in his underground drumming feel which takes me back to his District 6 Days when he played with Brian Abrams. Mr Waterman stands easy with trumpet, in respectful reflection like a soldier waiting to play the last post and then with the morning reveille looping all the notes in a wide swing to it's highest point. Mr Crosland's bass talks- he says it and it chats back like a pendulum of life, the root bass line down deep in the mine. 5.ACROSS THE LAND A Debussy atmosphere like African plains, Desert Sands across the lands of oceans, dolphins, whales being told of new beginnings by piano and synth storytelling of haunting new born note sound whose breath is held in birth, ..opening wide eyes across the land. Steve Lodder holds the holding chords with Ben Crosland merging like sand and sea. Meanwhile Steve Waterman is swinging with raw elements of nature...pure notes rising, so many techniques, piercing octave jumps, staccato - commands you to listen to the wonder of life across the land. 6. SECRET LOVE Waterman.'s emotional interpretation takes you to the highest hill where he told the golden daffodil with Steve Lodder hand in hand running across the meadows picking up lots of Forget-me-nots as they interplayed like cowboys yipper hollerin at the barn dance. All this time Mr Crosland's bass is fast, pulsating like a lover's heartbeat intensifying the tight knitted structure of this threesome's love of coming together with a great tune and singing it with their musician's voice. Threeways into one voice.
Annie.

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