Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Stan Tracey Duo/Trio @ Darlington Arts Centre. February 4th

Stan Tracey (piano), Clark Tracey (drums) & Andy Cleyndert (double bass) Sound Check is Stan Tracey's latest CD. It is a two disc release. The first features duets between father and son (Stan and son Clark). On the second disc the Traceys are joined by bassist Andy Cleyndert. Darlington Arts Centre booked the duo/trio to play numbers from the CD and it was good to see a near capacity audience for the occasion.
The Traceys have worked together for much of Clark Tracey's career as a professional musician and it shows; pianist and drummer, father and son, there is undoubted empathy. Stan played and Stan listened. The many times I've heard him live he listens a lot allowing the other musicians on the stand to play. This performance was no exception.
Drummer Clark can play it all and he too listens. Patterns, chases and exchanges were interwoven throughout the set and it whetted the appetite for the second set trio format.
Andy Cleyndert, standing between the two Traceys, introduced himself by way of superlative bass playing from first note to last. The opening number of the second set isn't on the CD but it was Ellington (Great Times from Tracey's 2005 release For All We Know) and with Tracey you get Ellington every time. Duke Ellington and Stan Tracey - is there anything better in the world of jazz? Other composers of note on the CD include Billy Strayhorn (of course!) and Johnny Green.
The concert drew to a close with - have a guess - Monk's Blue Monk. This was the sort of gig that would usually have me leaving the venue thinking everything was alright with the world but as Darlington's jazz supremo Peter Bevan reminded us the Arts Centre's very existence is under threat. The 'cuts' (we're all in this together, apparently) are about to be inflicted. Do your bit. Resist. Write to, well, someone. You know, a councillor, MP, the local newspaper etc and make sure you get to that jazz gig you were thinking of going to.
Russell.

No comments :

Blog Archive