Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Music is nature's gift to man. It's the only religion. We're living in a terrible era, but what a beautiful thing music is. Look how it brings us together like religion is supposed to; and with no language barriers.'' (Jazzwise September, 2026)

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

18897 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Sept. 11.) 40.

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

From This Moment On

September.

Mon 14: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Ben Lawrence, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 17: Front Porch Blues @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 17: Miles 100 @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. Jack Courtney (trumpet); Sue Ferris (tenor sax); Tom Atkinson (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Deon Krishnan (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums). A night of Miles Davis.
Thu 17: Amphitrio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £7.00. Andrei Petrache (piano); Mike Alex (double bass); Philip Goron (drums).

Fri 18: Danny Lownes’ Hot Club @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Mark Williams Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00., £5.00. student.
Fri 18: Rivkala + Beccy Sloan @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £10.00.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.
Sat 19: Sing Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-5:00pm. £27.50. Tutor: Alexia Gardner: Nina Simone. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 19: Ray Stubbs’ R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal. All welcome.

Sun 20: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 20: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Paul Baxter Quartet @ The Bridge Hotel. November 18

Paul Baxter (double bass), Tom Harrison (alto saxophone & flute), Tom Taylor (keyboards) & Jon Ormston (drums)
 (Review by Russell). 
Darkish, a darkish tune opened the set.Tom Harrison’s biting alto set the tone with the spirit of Coltrane in the air. Pianist Tom Taylor sketched out Monuments and Harrison eagerly stretched the canvas. The musicians clearly enjoyed one another’s company - a smile, a joke - with Baxter anything but the task master. The material was, for the most part, the bandleader’s, yet the standard My Foolish Heart stood out; intense alto, a beautiful piano part, measured bass playing and sensitive percussion from Jon Ormston. 
A chart by Egberto Gismonti saw altoist Harrison switch briefly to flute resulting in the one occasion in which the sound balance was less than perfect. No such problems on  A To and a Fro (Tales from the Lane) and A Day in June - these were open pieces inviting near free form explorations. If Peggy Knew What Happened To featured the talented   Tom Taylor and the man at the keys excelled on the closing number Loads More Blues, as did alto star Harrison, likewise bass man Baxter and drummer Jon Ormston had some fun with a solo before Harrison’s alto took it home. 
This was another good Splinter gig. One thing…where was the audience? Was Charlie Parker on the telly? Well, whatever, you missed a damn fine alto player, indeed a damn fine band. Maybe next time…and make ‘next time’ next week - Sunday November 25 – when there is an intriguing double bill of Sonsale and the Tom Gibbs Quartet. Splinter has joined forces with Jazz North East to present a world premiere performance by Sonsale featuring four musicians, three of whom are known to Tyneside audiences. Gateshead lad (and Splinter supremo) Andy Champion hooks up once more with vibes star Corey Mwamba in a collaboration with two leading French musicians – the brilliant drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq and Valentin Ceccaldi (cello). The other half of the bill features pianist Tom Gibbs with Will Vinson (alto) and the bass and drums pairing of Euan Burton and James Maddren. Make a note – the session starts half an hour earlier than usual at 7:30 pm.      
Russell.
   
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