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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, October 01, 2012

Scarborough Jazz festival September 29 - Afternoon

The Give a Little Love Jazz Orchestra 
Paul Baxter (bs/cond); Russ Henderson (alt/sop); Tom Harrison (alt/fl); John McKillip, Stuart MacDonald (ten); James Lancaster, Mark Chandler, Si Nixon, Damien Bell (tpts); Chris Hibbard, Matt Ball, Lee Hallam, Dave Pearce (tmbs.); Paul Smith (dms); Zezo Olimpio (pno); Jamie Taylor (gtr) + guest Alan Barnes (alt).
(Review by Lance.)
Billed as "A Tribute to Horace Silver" this was a rousing big band set that, whilst the relationship to Silver's music may at times have been tenuous - I must confess I'm not familiar with the pianist's work in big band settings so perhaps it wasn't tenuous! However, what it was was a good contemporary big band blowing on Silver tunes and Silver inspired tunes written by leader and bassist Paul Baxter.
The band contained a host of soloists, including the leader, who in the main were given plenty exposure. Alan Barnes sat in on Juicy Lucy. This was interesting as Tom Harrison soloed with Barnesy standing next to him - no pressure!
Indeed Barnes' solo followed immediately on as if to say "I'm the boss"!
It wasn't that straightforward - when the two altos locked horns Harrison acquitted himself admirably.
Too many great moments to single out although Stuart MacDonald played some fine solos - indeed they all did. Incidentally drummer Paul Smith is not the Paul Smith we know and love on Tyneside and Teesside. Nevertheless, a fine drummer worthy of the name!
Lance.
Jim Birkett Trio (As previous with the above Paul Smith on drums)
A quick pop through to the Jazz Lounge to catch Jim and the boys playing Gone With The Wind. Pleased to say that Jim wasn't daunted by having to follow on from Martin Taylor last night.
Matt Wates Sextet.
Matt Wates (alt/stand-up); Steve Main (ten); Martin Shaw (tpt); Leon Greening (pno); Malcolm Creese (bs); Matt Home (dms).
(Photo courtesy of Bill Shakespeare.)
A program of originals by leader Wates who not only blows brilliant alto but tells awful jokes eg: Rupert Bear working on a building site complains somebody's stolen his pick-axe. Foreman says "Yes, today's the day the teddy bears get their pick nicked."
His alto playing, which included an unaccompanied cadenza based on Paganini's Caprice Number 2, made up for the jokes. Tenor player Main also blew good sax without telling jokes and Martin Shaw delivered what we expect him to deliver - cool, lyrical flugel horn and fiery modern trumpet.
Talking about fire - pianist Greening plays with so much passion it's a wonder the Bosendorfer grand didn't burst into flames! His piano playing - one of the festival highlights.
Lance.
Jay Phelps Quartet.
Jay Phelps (tpt); Ross Stanley (pno); Tim Thornton (bs); Moses Boyd (dms).
This was one of the emotional moments - Jay Phelps given the unenviable honour of paying tribute to the late Abram Wilson who was booked to appear but, sadly, died early this year at the age of 38.
Just a Closer Walk With He (sic) was played with feeling and dedication - not an inwardly dry eye in the house.
Phelps played several of his own compositions including Jaywalk which included an outrageous quote from the Toreador Song which, surprisingly went almost unnoticed making me wonder if the age of the quote and the knowing smiled from the audience has passed!
A moving version of Midnight Sun was followed by more Horace Silver and St. Vitus Dance which brought the afternoon to a close. 
A splendid afternoon with Saturday night and Sunday to follow.
More shortly...
Lance

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