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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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, June 04, 2012

The Ruth Lambert Quintet At The Bridge Hotel Sunday June 3

Ruth Lambert (vocals); Mark Williams (electric guitar); Graeme Wilson (sax); Paul Susans (bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
(Review by Ann Alex.)
The quintet were right on form tonight, playing an interesting, lively gig to a small albeit enthusiastic audience, so where were the rest of you?  The enviously slim Ruth sang her heart out, dressed in a brown summer dress bearing the currently fashionable pattern of small birds.  It’s not fair to describe only women’s outfits these days, but what can I say of the men?  They wore a varied selection of jeans, shirts and tee shirts.

Songs ranged from a mellow No Moon At All; a tongue-twisting One Note Samba; a sultry-voiced Skylark; a speedy Night And Day, including the verse; and a sensitive My Funny Valentine.  The Man I Love, was a good example of how a jazz group works when they’re really on the money (and they deserved their money for this performance).  First enters the vocal with a mellow electric guitar, then the rest of the band creeps in slowly to lead into a sax solo, which then becomes a guitar solo;   Ruth returns, playing with the vocal gently, then dramatically, then leading to a quiet ending.  But really, you need to hear it all to truly appreciate this.
Willow Weep For Me gave rise to a short tutorial from Lance at the end of the song.  Apparently it has been suggested that the song was actually written by George Gershwin, but he allowed it to be attributed to Anne Ronel with whom he may have been romantically linked. Lance supposes that initially it was cheaper than giving her jewellery although perhaps not in the long run. Come to a jazz gig to be educated!  
Ruth bravely allowed the audience to choose the numbers for the second set, which included I’ve Got You Under My Skin, with a Stan Getz-like solo from tenor  sax Wilson, the guitar playing two tunes at once (to my ears anyway), a bass solo punctuated by short guitar comments, and the whole band pausing for a moment at the word ‘Stop’ in the song.  Clever stuff.  Ruth sang Jobim's Aqua de Beber,  no doubt in tribute to the rain we’ve had lately, and the gig ended with Tom from the audience getting How High The Moon, which included the drum solo which always seems to come last in gigs, and fast snappy singing from Ruth reaching high sweet notes.
Great Stuff.
Photos (After Northern Monkey Brass Band pics.)
Ann Alex

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