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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

17972 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (April 22).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

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.

Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

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, March 02, 2013

Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ North Shore. March 1, 2013

(Review by Russell).
The curtain-raiser to the tenth annual Great North Big Band Jazz Festival featured a new name as guest performer and competition adjudicator – multi reeds virtuoso Pete Long. A star-studded quintet led by Paul Jones (alto) and Long (clarinet) breezed through a selection of tried and tested numbers. 
Opening with Cherokee at quite a lick introduced the rhythm section; Colin Haikney (keyboards), Neil Harland (electric bass) and drummer Adrian Tilbrook. Stone Fox Chase (the theme tune of the Old Grey Whistle Test) worked well in showing off Long’s command of his instrument. Altoist Jones, an alumni of the County Durham Youth Big Band, blew vigorously and the tunes flew by including Creole Love Call, a Chick Corea number and a Rollins’ calypso. 
The second half of the evening featured the fearless young composer James Hamilton working with a hand-picked festival big band. One and a bit rehearsals over recent weeks (snow drifts made things difficult) was scarcely time to get acquainted, let alone knock into shape a big band and produce a concert performance. Hamilton was able to draw upon senior professionals to join the sections of promising young players from the north east of England; Bill Watson (festival organiser), Gordon Marshall and Thomas Hill* ensured that the trumpet section was up to snuff, pianist Colin Haikney stayed on and the talented Dave Mckeague held down the drum chair. The purpose of this endeavour was to highlight the talented stars of tomorrow. The genial Hamilton spoke warmly of his charges and gave every encouragement to stand up and take a solo. All the more impressive that four pieces were compositions from the pen of the bandleader. 
A newly commissioned piece - Open Season - put the band through its paces and none flagged. To think that the seasoned pros were once in the position of these aspiring young musicians, generations apart but together in music. Fantastic! Bill Watson took the baton and called up Jones and Long together with Neil Harland to join the band to run through a few standards. Where is the Love? featured Susie Roberts (alto) and James Burchmore (tenor) and the young duo went for it. The select audience sensed this was their big moment and the applause afforded these young musicians typified what this event is all about. 
The concert ended in rabble rousing fashion with C Jam Blues on which everyone got the chance to blow (Pete Long briefly grabbed a flugelhorn!). A great start to the weekend. Saturday and Sunday is when the competition proper gets under way with workshops for the early birds and prize winning big band performances from around midday ‘til late. Literally hundreds of young musicians will play across the weekend. If you’re in the area call in to North Shore (Sunderland University’s Students’ Union) on Charles Street in Sunderland – you’re in for a treat!                
Russell.
County Durham trumpeter Thomas Hill has won a place at Leeds College of Music. Hill can be heard on the local scene standing in the trumpet section of any number of bands - and you can’t mistake him, he takes after Maynard Ferguson and frequently tries to take the roof off! Congratulations Thomas and good luck.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Good to meet you Russell. I and my 2 friends also enjoyed the night. They had not previously been to the festival and liked it. I hope they will return with me next year
Elaine

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