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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 5:15pm or 5:45pm (times tbc). Part of the Alnwick Story Festival's music fringe programme: Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Joseph O’Brien: The Ultimate Tribute to Frank Sinatra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. O’Brien & seven piece band (inc. Wendy Kirkland, Jim Corry & Pat Sprakes).
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 02: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £10.00. Day 3/3.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: Side Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Derwentwater Road, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Milne Glendinning Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30pm.
Sun 02: Bella by Barlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 02: Ali Watson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, October 26, 2012

A Gardenia for Lady Day: Cecile Mclorin Salvant Sage Hall 2 Thursday October 25

Cecile Mclorin Salvant (vocals); Enrico Tomasso (trumpet/cornet); Jean-Francois Bonnel  (ten/alt sax and clarinet);  Martin Litton (piano); Roly Veitch (guitar); Manu Hagmann (bass); Richard Pite (drums). (Review by Ann Alex).
What a good time was had by all!  Nearly every seat on all three levels of Hall 2 was occupied for this tribute to Billie Holiday, sung by Ms Mclorin Salvant, who was an attractive, elegant lady in red, with large-framed spectacles.  Her voice has many vocal colours, sweet and persuasive, pleadingly sad, then wonderfully dark and rich in the lower ranges.  The emphasis was on the songs that Billie sang in the 1930’s, a relatively happier time of her life.  Our singer brought her own style to the songs, with effective interpretations.  I felt that she could have had an alternative career as an actor.
And what of the musicians?  To say that they were well up to the job would be an understatement.  They were a great band in their own right, very entertaining and skilled, teaming well with the singer.  Outstanding solos from Bonnel, of whom one person said was the nearest thing to Lester Young he’d ever heard, and Tomasso on both trumpet and cornet, they looked as if they were really enjoying themselves – we certainly were!.
The Swiss bass player hummed along gently to his own bowing in a manner, one of my colleagues said, that was reminiscent of Slam Stewart.  Litton, a skilled pianist of many styles, Pite, a drummer who knew instinctively when to be discreet with cymbals and brushes and when to let rip for his solos. Towards the end of the concert he even juggled with the drumsticks.  I thought I’d had too much to drink, then realised it was really happening.  And of course, on guitar, our own Roly Veitch, who acquitted himself with honours, especially in the trio number featuring Cecile accompanied only by acoustic guitar and clarinet - I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love With Me. Roly's chordal solos, I'm told, brought to mind Carl Kress or Dick McDonough. Whatever, they sounded good to me!
In a performance which was rich in evocative songs it’s difficult to pick out specials, but the first song boded well for the rest of the gig - A Sailboat in the Moonlight and You. Lover Come Back to Me opened with just voice and bass, and I wondered how on earth the singer knew when to come in!  The trumpet on this was tremendous! There were 2 lighter songs, some would call them novelty songs, Twenty Four Hours a Day and Miss Brown to You.  I wish more singers would do these little gems, as they add lightness to the more serious material. On The Sentimental Side was played with the sax following the voice and some tender trumpet.  The second half opened well with a gutsy version of I Gotta Right to Sing the BluesIf Dreams Come True was dedicated to Lester Young, and “The nearest thing to Lester Young” certainly is a “presidential candidate”.  The gig rounded off with a lively Them There Eyes. A well deserved encore, On the Sunny Side of the Street, gave band and singer a last chance to let rip.
This was a great pre-party event before the main Whitley Bay Classic Jazz Party, which starts today (Friday October 26).  Fully booked now, sorry, people who missed getting tickets and, please note, already tickets are going fast for next year.  Feel sorry for me, I’m working this weekend.
Ann Alex

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