Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

August

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Roller Trio + Legohead @ The Cluny. December 18

(Review by Russell).
A Schmazz Christmas party double bill of Mercury Prize nominees Roller Trio and local heroes Legohead guaranteed a larger than usual turn-out down at the Ouseburn’s premier  music venue. The local lads - Lloyd Wright (guitar), Jon Proud (electric bass) and drummer David Francis - brought along their own following to help boost numbers and they delivered a typically energetic set. Wright’s big chord stretches, riffs and effortless solos wrapped themselves around Jon Proud’s subtle, funking bass lines underpinned by stickman David Francis’ assured performance. The set mixed tunes old (Getaway  Driver - a favourite) and new. A debut CD is on the stocks. It will be available in the early part of next year. Definitely one to add to the collection.
 The headline act returned to Tyneside on the crest of a to-die-for wave of publicity. The Leeds jazz scene had done well to get the word out about Roller Trio. A Bridge Hotel, Newcastle, debut some months ago drew a hard core crowd (fewer than ten!). Word of mouth about that gig and the small matter of being nominated for the 2012 Mercury Prize did the rest. The expectant Cluny crowd (encouragingly a number of younger punters and musicians made the effort to get along) heard a cracking set. 
The trio - James Mainwaring (tenor saxophone), Luke Wynter (guitar) and drummer Luke Reddin-Williams - share certain characteristics with Leeds’ other super star three-piece trio VD; similar instrumentation, the prodigious feat of committing to memory complex music and an amazingly good drummer (trio VD have Chris Bussey, Roller Trio Reddin-Williams). Loud, Mach 10 tempi (with intermittent slower sections offering relief from the hang-on-to your- hats performance) repeatedly drew massive applause. The diminutive Mainwaring punched above his weight aided and abetted by a pedal board, the chilled Wynter (an unintended pun!) twice lit the blue touch paper with stylish, killer solos and at the end of the night it came as no surprise when the stamping of feet, hollering and whistling won an encore. The band’s CD sold well and the boys were only too willing to sign ‘product’ and have a natter with legion fans.
Russell                         

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