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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17744 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 64 of them this year alone and, so far, 64 this month (Jan. 26).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.

February 2025

Sat 01: Alan Barnes & John Hallam with the Tom Kincaid Trio @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - Cy Coleman’s Witchcraft. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 01: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 01: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Western swing etc.

Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 02: Jive Aces @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Sun 02: John Pope + Andy Champion + Ian Paterson @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Subterranean Explorations 1’. Three (half hour) solo bass sets.
Sun 02: 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

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Lickety Split @ Ashington Jazz Club Wed.March 7.



Eddie Bellis (tmb), John Hudson (ten), Alan Marshall (alt), Kevin Eland (tpt/flug) Bill Britton (key) Roy Willis (gtr), Alan Rudd (bs) Paul Wight (Drums).  (Band photo courtesy of Peter S.)

The AJC returned to the Elephant after a winter break for the first meeting of the year.
Someone thought we may have gained sponsorship from a well known Ice Cream manufacturer who may have chosen the Club for a promotion for a new product. In fact Lickety Split was our event to start off the 2012 programme. Not only was this a first visit but also one of the larger bands to grace our stage. The evidence was obvious as the brass, guitar and keyboard assembled in front of the stage with bass and drums comfortably behind.
A near full house audience arrived - all eagerly anticipating the Jazz experience. What a superb evening we had of, near, Big Band Power. 
This is a well rehearsed group of instrumentalists who performed Swing, Bebop and Blues in a variety of rhythmic patterns. Eddie Bellis introduced each number to inform the members and gave the musicians  recovery time before the next item. Ray Chester was given credit for many of the arrangements and we were introduced to a number of original compositions from within this talented group.
Four of the band had appeared with other bands before at Ashington and it was no surprise that they have complete mastery of their instruments and are able to perform in a variety of styles. They all bonded musically so well and presented a polished and professional concert.
By the finale we had experienced 21 examples of this wonderful Jazz Art form. It had been a very successful evening for the members who responded enthusiastically and the musicians who had enjoyed the night warmly applauded. As an encore the evening closed with I'm Beginning to See the Light which was an appropriate conclusion as this programme may have inspired some to consider other Jazz forms adding to the considerable knowledge that they have. We in the North East have such a wealth of great musicians on our doorstep we should be increasingly grateful and realize that Way up North there are many musical delights away from the smoke of the South. I strongly recommend the band to you.
PROGRAMME- Blues Walk, Don't Take the B Train, Westwood Walk, Lift Off, Going Dutch, St. Thomas, Midnight Oil, So What?, Four, Well You Needn't, Janine, Along Came Betty, Dolphin Dance, Stolen Moments, Another Three Put, What's New? Sister Sadie.
Photos from Jim Fay, Oliver Soden, Peter S.
Next Meeting at the Elephant in Ashington - Wednesday, April 4th. at 8.30 p.m.
Guests - A double bill - From Italy - Dos Guitars  AND Elaine Binney and the Jazz Rascals.
Peter S.

2 comments :

John T said...

Like all the bands who come to the Elephant they enjoyed the gig as the audience are so appreciative of each number and solo.
Something that's never happened before - after the final round of applause from the membership the band gave us a round of applause back!

Anonymous said...

praps they want a return booking lol

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