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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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, March 29, 2013

Jazz Café at The Star Newcastle: March 27 Gabriele Mit Drei: and Jam Session

Gabi Heller (vocals); Alan Law (keys); Steve Glendinning (guitar); Dave Parker (bass)
(Review by Ann Alex).
This was a mammoth gig of one and a half hours, with no let up in the skill and enthusiasm of the performers, followed by a half hour jam session, just for good measure, and all for free.  You are mad if you missed it, that’s all I can say!
Gabi’s voice sounded stronger than ever, with a wide range, from rough-edged bluesy up to tender sweetness.  Softly As In A Morning Sunrise started us off with well expressed lyrics, then a smooth vocalese-like scat.  We were reminded that it was a full moon last night with Old Devil Moon, which had the guitar running up and down and round about and the keys being gently tricksy. This musical alchemy was followed by a Quincy Jones song, featured in the film The Colour Purple, calling on the sisterhood, supported by much whole-band soloing. 
Then came one of my favourites, Gabi’s own song Don’t Mess Around With Me, and the band certainly didn’t mess around, Steve whirling around the fretboard like a man possessed – perhaps searching for the lost chord and, in the process, finding many new ones!
Alan played a tremendous solo on Lullaby of Birdland that drew the first, and possibly the loudest, round of applause of the evening.  The benchmark had been set down. A Latin number, about the people in Argentina who were ‘disappeared’ for political reasons, with Dave beating out an exciting rhythm on the wood of the bass.  Twelve numbers, including All Or Nothing At All; Good Morning Heartache sung with real feeling; You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To; Wallflower which was translated from the German; and, to finish, Imagination.
The Jam Session
Lindsay Hannon (vocals); James Harrison (keys); Steve Glendinning (guitar); Dave Parker (bass); Chris Finch (keys); Jeff Smith (tenor sax).
Lindsay and James treated us to a journey on the A Train, and the journey continued with Steve and Dave joining them to tell us that There Will Never Be Another You.  Thelonious Monk got into the carriage, with his Blue Monk, which had James soloing bluesily with big chops and slides, wonderful stuff.  Chris and Jeff then stepped up to join the bass for the theme from Black Orpheus, and we finally journeyed back home to London with A Foggy Day In London Town.
The whole evening was well worth the ride! And, just in case you think Alan Laws is King of the Keyboard – well, actually he is, but James and Chris are up there with him.
The Star is developing a jazz club ambience – it’s cool, it’s friendly
Ann Alex 

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