Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 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

18878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 742 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 4.) 21.

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

September.

Tue 08: Seijiro Murayama & Jean-Luc Guionnet @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Warwick St., Newcastle, NE2 1BB. 7.00pm. £10.00 (advance); £12.00 (on door); £.15.00 (solidarity).
Tue 08: SH#RP Collective @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 08: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: 58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club. 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: NONUNONU @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE. Excellent trio.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Jacenaite All Crew @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 10: Emma Rawicz INKYRA @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.30. Sage Two. Line-up: Emma Rawicz (sax); Scottie Thompson (piano, keyboards, synth); David Preston (guitar); Kevin Glasgow (bass guitar); Jack Thomas (drums).

Fri 11: Esther Bennett @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £10.00. Esther Bennett (vocals); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass).
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £14.09 (inc. bf).

Sat 12: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 12: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26 (inc. bf).

Sun 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00-3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: King Bees @ Shape Patisserie, Darlington. 3:00pm. Free. Duo (Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor). A Rhythm & Blues Fringe event. Blues excellence.
Sun 13: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny. 5:00pm. £17.15.; £11.43; £5.72.
Sun 13: Eternal Triangle + Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Hoochie Coochie Jazz Jam

Pete Gilligan (pno); Mark Williams (gtr); Paul Grainger (bs); Ian Forbes (dms). + Dave Parker (bs); Lindsay Hannon (vcl); Richard (tpt).
(Review by Lance.)
This was, perhaps, the best Hoochie Jam yet! Gilligan, looking as though he'd just auditioned for the part of Sky Masterson (Guys and Dolls), met Miss Jones like she'd never been met before. Have You Met Miss Jones? Pete's met her! He and Mark soared through the changes and Miss Jones didn't mind at all.
Joyspring - as a bossa? well that's nova! Still, it seemed to work although I wasn't convinced. A Pat Metheny piece followed, before Billy Taylor's I Want To Be Free. This was something else! everyone digging in Mark taking the theme to the back of beyond, Pete bringing it back for Paul and Ian to, themselves, become free! However, no sooner had we re-covered from that, than the ensemble went into Donna Lee at almost the speed of light and only slightly faster than Chris Hoy's Team GB did in the Velodrome - The Perps were perspiring and needed The Girl From Ipanema to cool them down..
During the break I enjoyed chatting to The Girl From India - sax player Sarah Travena - her of the longest legs. I'm being sexist about a saxist! Lots of lurid tales  of her recent visit.
Set two saw Lindsay Hannon at the helm and she was, even by her standards, brilliant. Take The A Train, sang Lindsay. Take it? I'm gonna buy a season ticket and I'm not even in New York! Trumpet player Richard joined her for Blue Monk and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (not Soul Bossa Nova as I first thought!) with Gilligan going into B3 mode for the Joe Zawinul opus.
Suddenly, the Mood changed to a Sentimental one as the Diva's Diva finished off with the Ellington classic.
Dave Parker took over on bass for Dolphin Dance keeping things swinging..
Quite a session with Mark, the undisputed guitar king, Ian, the Grand Old Man of North East (and beyond) drumming, Pete and Paul, both underrated by a country mile. Add Lindsay, Richard and Dave and it all fell beautifully together.
Although I left Newcastle on the 27 bus my head and my heart were in Manhattan boarding the A Train!
Lance.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

I remember Mercy Mercy - but Soul Bossa ? Ian

Lance said...

Whoops! - Senior moment! You are of course right. I will amend it.

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