Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + SH#RP Collective with Lindsay Hannon - open rehearsal.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Guests: Jeremy McMurray (piano); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Mark Hawkins (drums); Adrian Beadnell (bass).

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Struggle Buggy @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. Free.

Sun 04: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 04: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 04: Boys of Brass @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Sun 04: Ben Crosland Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 05: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 06: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £14.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Victory in Europe Afternoon Tea’ (VE Day 80th anniversary).
Tue 06: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 06: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 06: FILM: Whiplash @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 8:15pm.

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

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Film Review ‘Beware of Mr Baker’ Director Jay Bulger

(Review by Steve.)
This movie begins as it ends with the 75 year old Baker breaking the directors nose on camera by attacking him with a  cane. 
This is not so much a ‘Rockumentary’  as a ‘Jazzumentary’ for Ginger Baker is first and foremost a Jazz drummer although he found  fame and fortune with  cult rock outfits Cream and Blind Faith. To this day his drumming heroes are Phil Seamen, Max Roach, Art Blakey and Elvin Jones. As Eric Clapton says on camera he was in a different league to the two rock drumming  giants of the late 60’s and early 70s John Bonham and Keith Moon .
Clapton explains that Baker is not just a drummer but a consummate musician able to compose, arrange and lead. Amazingly, unlike the aforementioned two rock drum legends  he is still alive despite leading a similar life of debauchery and serial drug abuse.
Baker, age 14, first got into Jazz when acting as a decoy for a gang nicking records he heard Max Roach on the ‘Quintet of the Year’ album (the other four members were Dizzy, Bird, Bud Powell and Mingus) he stole the LP despite not having a record player and subsequently got ‘strapped’ by his mum when she found out.
 In the late 70’s Baker was the first musician to really get into ‘World Music’  and he went to live in Nigeria for several years to collaborate with the great Fela Kuti. Bizarrely it was also whilst in Nigeria that he got into Polo which has subsequently become a life’s obsession so much so that Ginger seems to have chukkered all of his money on importing dozens of horses to which ever country his nomadic lifestyle takes him.  
This biopic, like its protagonist, pulls no punches. It makes great use of archive photographs and animated charcoal drawings to illustrate scenes from  Mr Baker’s colourful past.  
Baker comes across as a thoroughly unpleasant character despite being one of the giants of modern Jazz/Rock drumming.  To be a member of his family either musically or domestically seems to have been a fraught and literally threatening experience. However, as far as this movie is concerned he is a riveting, engaging,  humorous yet frightening subject – recommended viewing!
‘Beware of Mr Baker’ - Tyneside Cinema 13:55 today (May 30).

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the very useful synopsis. I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie, although sadly I can't get to the screening at the (wonderful) Tyneside Cinema. I'll have to wait for the DVD release.
Ginger's still very active (I suspect the unfortunate reality is that he needs the money). Ginger Baker's Jazz Confusion features Ginger, Pee Wee Ellis on sax, Alec Dankworth on bass (son of Johnny Dankworth & Cleo Laine) and African "drum driver" Abass Dodoo on percussion. Jazz laced with African rhythm. They played The Cluny last year - I really recommend making the effort to see them (before it's too late!). Check out the upcoming tour dates here if interested http://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/ginger-bakers-jazz-confusion.
Thanks again for the film review. Whilst he's undoubtedly a "difficult" human being, his continued musical legacy's right up there with the best of them - and as you point out, covering more genres than most.
Cheers, Les.

Blog Archive