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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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, August 06, 2012

Scotland’s acclaimed national jazz orchestra salutes the Duke

Jazz history will be revisited with passion, vigour and fidelity as the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra follows its recent successes in the Parliamentary and Scottish Jazz Awards with a celebration of the artistry of Duke Ellington, which tours Scotland in October.

Ellington: In the Spirit of the Duke will feature the SNJO, which has been widely acclaimed as the finest ensemble of its kind in Europe, in a programme that ranges through one of jazz’s greatest pianists, composers and bandleaders’ vast repertoire, covering some of the most popular music of the past eighty years through iconic hits such as Black & Tan Fantasy, Mood Indigo, Caravan and Rockin’ in Rhythm and reaching into less frequently played Ellington orchestra masterpieces including Billy Strayhorn’s arrangement of Morning Mood from the Peer Gynt Suite by Norwegian classical composer Edvard Grieg.
The concerts will also feature highlights from Ellington’s Latin American, Far East, Such Suite Thunder, Nut Cracker, Toots, and The Queen’s Suites as well as Never No Lament, which became better known as Don’t Get Around Much Anymore with the addition of Bob Russell’s lyrics in 1942, and Sepia Panorama, the Ellington orchestra’s original theme tune before the adoption of Take the A Train in 1941.
Joining the SNJO in the role of Duke Ellington for the tour will be Scotland’s own world class pianist, the BBC Jazz Award-winning Brian Kellock, for whom SNJO director Tommy Smith re-orchestrated George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in 2005, resulting in hugely successful concerts and a rapturously received recording.
The Ellington celebration comes during the most successful year to date for the SNJO, which formed in 1995. Following acclaimed tours with drummer Peter Erskine and trumpeter Randy Brecker in spring 2012, the orchestra added to its international reputation by appearing with singer Kurt Elling at France’s leading jazz festival, Jazz sous les Pommiers in Normandy, and released its first recording, Celebration, for the prestigious ECM Records label to enthusiastic praise worldwide. Winning the Best Ensemble title at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2012 and a nomination in the same category at the Scottish Jazz Awards have been further highlights.
SNJO director Tommy Smith said: “We are proud to be celebrating such an inspirational figure as Duke Ellington, whose music we have visited successfully before and to whose style we will be endeavouring to remain as true as possible on these concerts. There’s no musician more qualified to play the Ellington role on piano than Brian Kellock and we’re looking forward immensely to featuring his skill, exuberance and fantastic touch at the keyboard at the core of an orchestra that’s currently playing at the top of its game.”

Tour details: October 2012
Wed Oct 24 - Perth, Perth Theatre  01738 621 031  
Thurs Oct 25 - Aberdeen, Music Hall 01224 641122 
Fri Oct 26 - Edinburgh Queen's Hall   0131 668 2019 
Sat Oct 27 - Glasgow, Royal Conservatoire.   0141 332 5057  
Sun Oct 28 - Inverness, Eden Court  01463 234234 
All concerts start at 7.30pm with a free pre-concert talk at 6.45pm
For further information , please see www.snjo.co.uk 

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