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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Newcastle Record Fair @ Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle. 10:00am. Going in search of the Buddy Bolden cylinder…
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. Coquetdale Jazz.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

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

Saturday, August 04, 2012

Strictly Smokin’ 7-Piece at the ‘Jazz Cafe’, Sage Concourse, Friday August 3

Michael Lamb (trumpet and MD); Alex Leathard (Trombone); Claude Werner (tenor sax); Dave Francis (drums); Jon Proud (bass); Gav Smith (piano); Ruth Lambert (vocals)
(Review by Ann Alex).
And they were straight in, no messing around, with Ruth singing Nice Work if you can Get It, and the band certainly did more than nice work, with skilled arrangements, interesting solos and trading of fours.  The sound was what I think of as ‘New York’, especially from the horns, but that may be just to my ears. 
Bye Bye Blackbird gave us a great sax solo from Claude, exciting but never too far from the melody. A harmonically strong arrangement of Lulu’s Back in Town had  distinctive chords from the horns between lines of the song; Skylark featured lovely flowing horns and effective muted trombone.  Next up was So What with, drums driving along sax and bass.  I noticed Claude chewing on a giant piece of chewing gum, then realised that he was coolly preparing a reed, without missing a note.  Stompin’ at the Savoy culminated with horns and piano swopping fours, followed by Our Delight, a tune which delights me as it seems to start in the middle – goodness knows what the technical term for that is.  The tunes continued to pour out and I wanted to dance.
Everyone had their share of solos and all impressed. The horns didn’t appear to be miked up yet all three sounded good - a combination of their ability and The Sage’s acoustics
Ruth sang more in the second half, well-sung standards, every word crystal clear.  You’d be so Nice to Come Home To; Embraceable You; How Long Has This Been Going On; Our Love is Here to Stay; The Lady is a Tramp; Get Happy. The performance ended with Do Nothing till You Hear from Me.  This song started a discussion on our table about what the words actually mean (answers on a postcard or at least in the comments box), and I guess the song also had the audience wishing to hear more from Ruth.
This gig had its own special atmosphere, what with the punters from the classical music concert coming out at half time, some clapping Ruth, others looking a bit puzzled, and the gentleman who sat next to me and told me about when he played piano for Peggy Lee.  An interesting and enjoyable evening.
Ann Alex   

2 comments :

Liz said...

Re Do nothing 'till you hear from me...I think the clue is in those last words...."and you never will". He is saying he is never going to end it, so it's up to her, either listen to gossip or put up with his philandering!!
Liz

Ann Alex said...

Liz, Yes, that's men for you, or at least some men!
Ann Alex

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