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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

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, November 04, 2011

Brass Jaw @ The Lit & Phil. November 3rd

Paul Towndrow (alto saxophone), Konrad Wiszniewski (tenor saxophone), Allon Beauvoisin (baritone saxophone) & Ryan Quigley (trumpet)
The Literary & Philosophical Library in Newcastle is the oldest private members' library outside of London. Down the years artists, writers, musicians, inventors, political figures, thinkers and others have visited the impressive rooms of this hidden gem of a building. In the early years of the 21st century add jazz musicians to the list of luminaries.
Brass Jaw - three saxophones, one trumpet - travelled south from Glasgow and east from Dublin. The Irish connection being that tenor player Konrad Wiszniewski negotiated a night off from his nice little earner touring the world with a pop megastar to come to Newcastle to play with his Scottish buddies. Now there's a guy who's got his priorities right!. Brass Jaw, albeit with a trumpeter, are from the long tradition of the saxophone quartet (World Saxophone Quartet, 29th Street Quartet, Saxophonics - to name but three). The Lit & Phil's first floor library with its wrought iron spiral staircases and balustrades and shelves upon shelves of books made for a highly unusual setting.
The quartet chose to play acoustically, the musicianship was of the highest order throughout two entertaining sets of original compositions and contemporary standards. The original material came from Brass Jaw's latest CD Branded. All four members of the quartet contributed material ranging from ballads to bop. Ryan Quigley's trumpet added pathos; a blues feel was never too far from the surface. Baritone saxophonist Allon Beauvoisin had such mastery of his instrument that lightening-fast bop lines were well within his capabilities. Towndrow and Wiszniewski played some killer solos and the whole performance exuded warmth, shot-through with humour. Any gig that can get away with the inclusion of versions of Drive My Car (The Beatles) andPeaches on Regalia (Frank Zappa) has got to be good and this was one such occasion.
Russell.

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