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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, 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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

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

Monday, April 22, 2013

Sue Ferris/James Birkett Quartet, Roly Veitch. Black Bull, Blaydon April 21.


Sue Ferris (tenor sax & flute), James Birkett (gtr), Neil Harland (bass), Dave Francis (dms), Roly Veitch (gtr & voc)
(Review by Ray Robson)
This was our first visit to Roly's "new" Blaydon venue of the Black Bull - an excellent full house of over 50 packed the back room creating that more intimate "jazz" atmosphere we all crave, albeit without the drifting smoke a la 1960's jazz club's. A good local pint went down well too!
Sue's visit in March had been lost due to the snow of our first days of Spring, but thankfully she made it safely this time.....she led the line marvelously, showing a delicate touch to make each track a joy. The talents of the JB quartet are well known, tonight they fitted seamlessly to give superb backing.
The opener of Don't Get Around Much Anymore set the scene I thought, with excellent sax work but sooooo melodic rhythm work. On the Sunny Side of the Street, Blue Monk, My Romance followed....then Manha de Carnaval from the film Black Orpheus featured Sue on Flute. The Billie Holiday number You're a Lucky Guy preceded All of Me & took us to the break.
The second set opened with an electric guitar duet with James & Roly, then back with the full band for Sonny Rollins' Doxy, before You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me & A Nightingale sang in Berkley Square.
The classic Clifford Brown track Sandu illustrated what a loss his early death in the 1950's was. Next was the 1944 Jack Teagarden number Stars Fell on Alabama. Then It can Happen to You took us to the final number - Jerome Kern's jazz standard All the Things You Are.
Credit is due to Roly for continuing with the Blaydon Jazz Club, & to The Black Bull's managers Carl & Jackie for making us all so welcome - everyone had a great evening, & I'm sure the support will continue for these Sunday night monthly sessions (next session 19th May Jeremy McMurray quartet).
Ray Robson

1 comment :

c.mckeon@yahoo,co.uk said...

yes lance i was there last night .great gig/venue for blaydon jazz c/o roly veithch full house too more of the same next motnth and jhango rhinhearts music in june/july gigs to look forward too. regards Chris from jes /ncle

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