Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: ''It was then that Coltrane came along and single-handedly brought this dimension of spirituality into jazz. It was a pivotal experience to me.'' (DownBeat September, 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

18982 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 846 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 8.) 25.

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

October.

Fri 09: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Fri 09: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle.

Sat 10: Catfish Keith @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £19.00. + bf. Jumpin’ Hot Club.

Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Feat. guest Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet).
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Harry Christelis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Jazz Co-op-JNE co-promotion.

Mon 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 12: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. Julija Jacenaite (vocals).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 4:45pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 14: A Night of Stevie Wonder @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 14: NW FRQNC @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. Selina Albright, Gianni Vancini.
Wed 14: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 15: Leah Kirk: A Strange Affair @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Leah Kirk (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Thu 15: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. PJO w. guest Graham Hardy (trumpet).

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Claire Martin, Joe Stilgoe, Mark McGann, Northern Sinfonia Pay Tribute to Lennon and McCartney @ Sage Gateshead.

Northern Sinfonia; Claire Martin: Joe Stilgoe; Mark McGann.
In my defence, your 'onour, every gig I've ever  been to in 'all One began at 7:30pm. Them as is in 'all Two do their thing at 8pm. So, tonight, my old mucker Andy 'udson and me strolled down to Sage Gateshead with an independent air only to have our sanguineti desanguetinesed when we were informed the concert had begun at 7pm!
7pm! I know folk who aren't even out of bed at that hour! But, c'est la vie. 
I don't know what we missed but what we didn't miss was good.
Mark McGann (famous Liverpool background) sang I Should Have Known Better and few could have sung it  better! Stilgoe did one of the best Beatle tunes - Here There and Everywhere. That is class!
Claire Martin - and she was the big attraction for me - did a beautiful and emotive version of A Ticket to Ride. - I'd have bought a ticket for that trip! Yesterday had Claire making me wish I'd met her Yesterday!
The set finished with all three singing All You Need Is Love which, upon reflection, is about right!
The Northern Sinfonia were as professional as they always are but the silky smooth string section were sheer perfection. By comparison, the brass read the parts but didn't quite achieve the empathy that the strings did.
Second set - Claire's reading of Eleanor Rigby was possibly the highlight of this set although the magnificent line from Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds - the girl with kaleidoscope eyes - reminded us that these two scousers were songwriters to be ranked alongside the best.
Claire's Fool on the Hill rubber stamped their credentials.
It was a good concert - no jazz but I didn't expect any. Loved Claire, Joe I'd like to catch on a piano/vocal jazz gig. McGann - love to meet his tailor!
Lance.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

The first song you list says it all really - Check your tickets!!

It's really annoying when audience members pile out of the pub and saunter into a Sage gig late. The Sage seem to be on top of this now and at least limit late entrants to a gap in the performance.

Lance said...

I couldn't agree more! I should have checked the times. The last thing I wanted was to not see the whole show.

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