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

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.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: 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 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Sun 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Royal Quays Marina, North Shields. 2:00-4:00pm. Free..
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free..
Sun 23: Blue Note Quintet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00..
Sun 23: Timmy Allan Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 24: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thursday, March 07, 2013

Jazz Caff Refugees @ The Star, Westgate Rd., Newcastle March 6

Pete Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Jeff Armstrong (dms). + Dave Parker (ba); Peter Ninnim (dms); Lindsay Hannon (vcl); Ann Alex (vcl).
(Review by Lance).
Gilligan set the ball rolling with All Blues. The Kind of Blue classic seemed to be tailor made for Pete. His casual nonchalance at the keyboard a contradiction of what he was actually putting down. Paul Grainger solid and stable kept things under control whilst Jeff Armstrong displayed the reasons why he is in every other band - or so it seems!
It was a classic selection of tunes - Bouncing With Bud, I Remember Clifford - beautiful and poignant as this tune has to be to make it work - it worked! There Will Never Be Another You, Whisper Not, Have You Met Miss Jones, Hubbard's Up Jumped Spring and Bru's Blue Rondo a la Turk. A very enjoyable set.
Over on Chilli Road, Take it to the Bridge was back up and running which meant  Mike Pav and Paul Gowland weren't around for the jam so it was left to Lindsay to kick start things.
On drums was Mike Ninnim - he can swing! Anyone know his pedigree? and Dave Parker took over in the basement.
Lindsay did the biz on A Train and a most unusual Autumn Leaves that may just be the best Autumn Leaves I've ever heard - certainly this week.
A surprise runner was our own Ann Alex who philosophised that It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing. Our gal did BSH  proud. Lindsay, Ann's mentor, maintained the Ducal feel with In a Sentimental Mood - is this not the best of all of Duke's songs?  
Pete and co brought us back to the Bebop heartland with Dizzy's Anthropology.
So far so good - wonderful that the spirit of "The Caff" is being maintained.
Lance.

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