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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

Monday, April 02, 2012

Djangologie - Jazz in the (Boston) Spa. Saturday March 31.

Jim Birkett (gtr), Emma Fisk (vln), Giles Strong (rhythm gtr) and Mick Shoulder (bs)
The weekly Saturday evening enticement that is Jazz in the Spa cast its spell on us again, the thought of swinging gypsy jazz was just too good to turn down .........
Pooling our petrol rations to avoid the good old british tradition of queueing, this time for petrol, we headed off down the A1 in expectant mood .........as always, a decent crowd in the hall, the candlelit tables adding to the ambiance of downtown Paris as we awaited the evenings Quartet du Hot Club de France.
With Jim ably taking the role of Django Reinhardt and Emma providing glamour as well as the skills of Stephane Grappelli, ably supported by the excellent rhythms of Giles and Mick, we were soon transported back to the smokey cafes of wartime France..........mon dieu, I could feel the tanks rolling by ....
Coquet led into Belleville, Django's Stomp, Nuage (Django's best seller from '43), then their own Les Feuilles d'autumn (Autumn Leaves!). Django's Heavy Artillery (a celebration of the wars end) led us to the pre-break Stompin' at Decca /Xmas swing.
After half an hour's break for Mick to brush up on his parlez francais skills, we were back, with Minor Swing, J'Attendrai, Troublant Bolero, then another of their own with Beautiful Till three.
The raffle failed to provide the prize I sought, the wonderful sketch of Django .........still, life goes on ...
And the music too went on ....Lady Be Good, then their own Sinister Drag before a rousing Sheik of Araby featuring solo's by Jim & Emma, and finally the gypsy anthem LesYeux Noir (dark eyes)......
We were not letting them go so easy ....an encore of In my Quiet Place before rousing applause showed our apprciation of a wonderful evening ....thanks to four very talented musicians.
Ray Robson

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