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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.

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!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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, May 17, 2013

Lindsay Hannon Plus Plus @ Hoochie Coochie May 16.

Lindsay Hannon (vcl); Paul Gowland (ten); Graham Hardy (tpt); Alex Leathard (tmb); James Harrison (pno); John Pope (bs); Mark Robertson (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Ironic that, as the Hoochie jazz nights draw to a close, the crowds increase and tonight was very well attended for a stonking session by Lindsay and her plus plus. The extra plus being the horn section of Gowland, Hardy and Leathard. Paul's had a busy 24 hours - Star the night previous, Uni gig this afternoon and this one. All brilliant in their own way.

However, it was the basic plus that helped Lindsay hit the ground running with her "Wham Bang Thank You Mam" version of The Very Thought of You. Not my idea of how this most romantic of ballads should be treat but it has to be said that Lindsay does it very well. So Long Big Time with its effectively double tempoed mid-chorus followed and James Harrison soled with panache.
The first of the horns showed on I'm a Fool to Want You - Hardy blowing a tightly muted solo. Gowland next on I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues. This was a real blast! The Hissing of the Summer Lawns added slideman Leathard and all three horns swung out on Honeysuckle Rose but the piece de resistance was Lindsay's take on Bjork's It's So Quiet - which it was (at first!)
It was a good opening set despite or maybe even because of the crowd noises. The atmosphere was that of an old time jazz club (sans smoke) with the cognescenti sitting listening intently down front and the less committed drinking and chatting at the bar yet still absorbing the music without being shushed. 
If you want a sepulchral atmosphere go to church or to a concert hall not a bar.
The second set began with What a Little Moonlight Can do and featured a boisterous Leathard trombone solo. Leonard Cohen's Suzanne, Is You Is or Is You Ain't my Baby? and a song, the title of which escapes me but contains the immortal line When I was five you tried to drown me. followed
I had to leave around about this point but the evening had been a great success. Lindsay, the horns and the rhythm section of Harrison, Pope and Robertson gelled to perfection.
Lance.

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