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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

17641 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 915 of them this year alone and, so far, 60 this month (Dec. 26).

From This Moment On ...

December

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. CANCELLED!
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00. CANCELLED!
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.
Tue 31: Jan Spencelayh Quartet @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 5:00-9:00pm. A NYE ‘Dinner-Dance’ event. £42.99. Featuring special guest Mick Donnelly.
Tue 31: Jack Logan @ The Robin Hood Inn, East Wallhouses NE18 0LL. Tel: 01434 672549. 7:00pm. £59.95. ‘New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner’. Rat Pack etc.

January 2025

Wed 01: Revolutionaires @ The Old Barrel (Flatties), Boldon Colliery. 3:30pm. Free. Excellent rhythm & blues.

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

Sat 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £5.00. Xmas party (rescheduled from early December).

Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.
Sun 05: Papa G’s Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

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

Friday, August 10, 2012

Lemon Tops @ The Sage.

Belinda Voshtina (vcl); Sam Kelly (ten/clt); James Harrison (pno/Hammond); Ian Simpson (gtr); James Robson (bs); Joe Booth (dms).
The Lemon Tops who, paradoxically, didn't wear lemon tops (a take on the Yellow Jackets I guess) are students from the BMus Course and fine examples they are too.

The young group get a good sound despite the sometimes unflattering acoustics of The Concourse. Nice to hear clarinet in a modern context - surely the first time locally since the late great Charlie Carmichael!
Sam acquitted himself well on Blue Monk, In Walked Bud and a melancholic Beautiful Love.
Their choice of a Gasbook program surprised me. Don't get me wrong, as you all know the Great American Songbook is my Bible but I'd have thought young guys such as these would have mixed the gassers with more contemporary numbers and perhaps a few originals.
I was particularly impressed with Harrison - featured extensively on Autumn Leaves. Guitarist Simpson kicked in with some gutsy solos and Kelly proved capable on both black and gold horns.
Vocalist Belinda showed some early hesitancy but, once the hare was running, she delivered.
When Sunny Gets Blue presented the lady to perfection. Accompanied only by piano, this displayed the quality of her voice - rich and rounded. 
There is a tendency these days to sing Choo Choo Ch'Boogie as a slow drag - I don't know why. It's a jump tune and, whilst it was interesting first time around, I think it's time to take it right back to the track - Jack!
Having said that, mention must be made of the 6.5 shades that guitarist Simpson kicked out of it!
There was lots more but I had to leave before the end - it was a good session and, in the league they are batting in, The Lemons are Tops!
Next week - Lindsay Hannon Trio.
Lance.

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