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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
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: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Budtones @The Jazz Cafe - Saturday 28th May

Stu Finden - tenor sax ; Fiona Littlewood - vocals, tenor sax ; Tim Knowles - guitar ; Jim Crinson - double & 5 string bass ; Omid Ramak - drums (standing in for Eric Stutt) A jazz rock solid debut for the reinvented Budvivar - Fiona launched her jazz vocal career tonight with such panache we'll all be queuing outside Zoe's new Low Fell door for singing lessons! Such a joyful mellow voice for jazz standards she danced confidently through the verbal prestidigitation of Love Me or Leave Me and Get it Straight (...no Chaser) occasionally recharging her vocal chords with a blast on the tenor in several instrumental numbers, including Stu's own Stoo's Blues - a lively piece with some great tenor solo work from both Stu and Fiona. In fact Stu Finden is the solid backbone to this band with his understated but well-crafted solos really drawing you in - the perfect side man for Fiona's lively vocals, which we expect to grow in strength and maybe, in a couple of numbers, in pitch, to keep the band in their place. This was the first time I'd stepped into the classic ambience of the Jazz Cafe, no, seriously! There's a nostalgic heady vapour like the leather and petrol of an old American car - the ones with the flying rear wings and huge rear lights. To give the band a chance to set up, we watched them and the enigmatic Keith Crombie - flashes of the film Cabaret still playing on his face - through the windows of The Forth opposite: reflections of a silent movie like two Edward Hopper paintings on opposite walls playing tricks in bar mirrors! And so with Keith's determined yet friendly pessimism still ringing in my ears - "Jazz is dead in Newcastle!" - Fiona launched into the second set with the acid nostalgic funk of Dexter Gordon's Psychedelic Sally as Omid jumped up to the plate with a passion and the place started to fill up with punters. An engaged couple danced an improv tango as Keith rearranged the furniture like a kindly uncle, so we could all join in. Jazz not dead then, just occasionally poorly! Some steady well-executed Wes Montgomery-esque guitar work from Tim as he dealt with the lively West Coast Blues. Then later, a friendly gesture to Mark Williams, who's admiration of Tim's lovely Ibanez 175 won him an impromptu place in the band while Tim took five in the still-expanding late shift in the audience pit. Mark really took off with the inspiration of the Ibanez seeming to forget that he was only passing through - no complaints! Although Omid was only standing in for Eric Stutt he made an impressive impact and paired up well rhythmically with the confident versatility of Jim Crinson on sometimes double, sometimes 5 string electric bass. Overall a great night, in for me, a fantastic venue. Other numbers we remembered: You Go to My Head and But Beautiful. If we're allowed to quote lyrics? Love is funny, or it's sad, Or it's quiet, Or it's mad. It's a good thing, Or it's bad, But beautiful... George M Photos Chiaroscuro - i.e. impossible to make out what's there! But Beautiful You Go To My Head
Stoo's Bloos - Orignal by Stu
Love Me or Leave me
Straight No Chaser
Well You Needn't

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