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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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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, January 21, 2011

Schmazz Factor @ The Sage Gateshead. January 20th

Schmazz @ The Cluny chose to present the 2011 Battle of the Bands event at The Sage in Gateshead rather than Schmazz HQ down in the Ouseburn Delta. It paid off in one respect - a good number of punters, some of whom were new to Schmazz, filled the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Triffid, formerly know as the Harley Johnson Trio, had the honour (drew the short straw?) of being first up for examination. Judging panel in place, audience attentive, the trio began rather quietly with pianist Johnson seemingly rumaging around under the lid of the Steinway looking for his sheet music. Ah, this was the performance! Bassist Ivan Scutt played quietly, perhaps too quietly. The set, in the form of a suite, rarely took off and it remained to be seen what the other entrants had to offer.
Hannabiell & Midnight Blue were, as they say, something else. Hannabiell is an energetic, all action, up and at 'em performer. Bass trombone, percussion and mbira were her instruments of choice. Her main instrument - trombone - was given such a working over that the great Gary Valente could well decline the offer of a toe to toe encounter. Blast after blast, legs and arms flayling, this was some show. The band - piano, bass and drums augmented by saxophone and two further percussionists played African jazz, funk and soul and more.
Paul Taylor, pianist with Long Lonesome Go, performed solo. Taylor took the time to talk about his approach to improvisation. Elements of twentieth century piano composition with, perhaps, a French influence were evident to my ear. This was a good set.
Soznak is a street band well know to shoppers on Northumberland Street in Newcastle. With the lights dimmed, the band - brass and rhythm section - marched into the hall with instruments lit by what appeared to be Christmas tree lights (an amusing touch, today they can go back into the loft until the end of the year). Leader Paul Miskin plays trumpet Township style, the band clearly enjoys the art of performance and it was a fitting end to the competition. The judges retired to deliberate over two hours plus of diverse musical entertainment. The interlude was the perfect opportunity to bring to the stage Carpus Trio winners of the inaugural Schmazz Factor competition. The trio gave a stupendous display. Virtuosic, tight, powerful, just great.
The judging panel returned to give its verdict. Triffid's drummer Rob Bates was commended, so too Paul Taylor. The winning entry - Hannabiell & Midnight Blue - was greeted with shrieks of delight.
Worthy winners, the band can be heard again (for free) in the King's Hall in Newcastle University at 4:00 pm, Thursday 3rd February. Russell

1 comment :

Ian said...

i think 'musical entertainment' is certainly the way it turned out. Unfortunately, i was hoping for jazz rather than theatre! the quieter entrants certainly shot closer to the mark for me.

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