Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
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: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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, March 24, 2012

Gateshead International Jazz Festival - Friday March 23.

Peter King (alt); Steve Melling (pno); Geoff Gascoigne (bs); Mark Fletcher (dms).
It had been a long time since many of us had heard  Peter King live which was possibly why the Foundation Hall was sold out.
Make no mistake about it, Peter is a world class player. Art Pepper is the name that invariably crosses my mind when I hear Peter. Nothing wrong with that I hear you say and it's true. But, although Peter has absorbed the legacy of Pepper and Parker, he is also very much his own man as tonight's session proved.
The first set was okay, "coasting" was how someone described it. but that simplifies matters. To me he wasn't coasting, he was feeling things out, checking the rhythm section, his chops, how he felt before starting to fly.
In the second set he did fly - and how!
The World of Trane saw him soar through the changes on many of Coltrane's familiar pieces. culminating in the inevitable Giant Steps and My Favourite Things.
Billy Strayhorn's Lush Life was announced as Flashback (I think!) and it was an absolutely beautiful unaccompanied solo. Wave, Feldman's Joshua were other delights.
However, the biggest cheer of the night went to the rhythm section who were right on the money with Steve Melling's piano outstanding - Gascoigne and Fletcher were right up there with him..
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A pint of Farne Island then over to Hall 2 for Pork Chop augmented, on this occasion, by American tenor player Pee Wee Ellis and "jazz/soul diva" Mary Pearce
Pork Chop's MySpace describes the band thus..."Its mission; to eliminate the introspective and self indulgent elements that some "jazz" music can often adhere to. We intend to bring the music back to the people." 
I'll drink to that!
It was fun.
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The day had started on The Concourse with "The A to Zee of it" or, to be more precise Andy Champion and Zoe Gilby (Champion) doing Love Me or Leave Me. The voice was as clear as crystal, the bass round and fully toned. I've heard Zoe many times but, on this opening number, never quite as perfect  as she was tonight.
Cohen's Dance Me To The End of Love kept the momentum going and it was with a tinge of regret that I had to leave for the Press Reception up in "The Gods". Photo of Zoe and Andy courtesy of Mark Savage.
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The evening concluded in the Central Bar with the late night Jam Session which, when I arrived had Andy Lee, on alto, doing some nice things to There Will Never Be Another You along with Alan Law (pno), John Pope (bs) and Mark Robertson (dms). 
Lindsay Hannon took to the stand for Nature Boy and the song she has truly made her own - Why Try to Change Me Now? Why indeed?.
A violinist from the Neil Cowley Trio gig had a blast on St. Thomas - was this Julian Farraretto? He swung.! Also a drummer sat in who was no mug - name anyone?
Chatted with John Cumming of promoters Serious before leaving for the local taxi office. Day One - ten out of ten.
Anyone for Aspirin?
Central Bar photos.
Lance.

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