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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Old Lowlight, Clifford’s Fort, North Shields NE30 1JE. 7:00pm. £15.00. + bf. www.oldlowlight.co.uk. SOLD OUT!
Fri 07: Stuart Turner Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Jazz, blues, Americana etc.
Fri 07: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 07: Rose Room @ Wylam Institute. 8:00pm. £19.67.
Fri 07: John Rowland Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

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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