Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

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: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Charles Gayle & Han Bennink @ The Lit and Phil. Nov. 18.


Charles Gayle (tenor, piano, clown shoes & cell phone) & Han Bennink (drums, skull, carpet & heating pipes) 
Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow! 

We free kings of jazz, do reign and pour upon you! 
Both Lear, both Fools - in a high energy bout of wit and wisdom, 
A searing exchange of beaten, blown and hammered banter, 
Han's the man who puts the boot in first, caught in the snare, 
Sticks flying faster than the speed of light,
He's Houdini, breaking out from the trap by raising a yogi leg,
He bites on a stick like a Jew's harp, as the jaw bridge drops,

I'm free's the message, ringing out in Morse from his skull,
His Samurai head band expands to avoid explosion and 
So crashes the cymbal of our time - ttschhhhynnngg!!
Wake up you fools!! this is no time like the present!
Charles Gayle, cheeks duly cracked, blown in rage against the storm,

Comes out for Round 2, yet sits hunched on his stool 

At the piano - black clown, white cheeks, red nose,

The patch explained, as his elbow nudges Stockhausen - clang!!
The bad tempered Klavier slams the lid on Monk's Well, You Needn't 
As he plods around the grand, in the longest clown shoes,
Shining like black Cadillac hoods, to play the part of Coltrane,
A mobile circus rings his cell phone - he takes the call, 
I told you not to call me at work - I'm a performing man!    
Then they for sudden joy did weep and I for sorrow sung, 
Such kings of jazz should play bo-peep and go the fools among. 
I asked a bloke in the Gents his thought, he said, Tonic for the soul!
(Apologies to Will Sh.... you know who!)
Photos.
George Milburn.

1 comment :

Lance said...

At last - the indisputable truth has emerged. Shakespeare DIDN'T write those plays it was George Milburn!

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