Bebop Spoken There

Warne Marsh: "At some point, you have to be prepared to create—to perform. It's vital, man, if we're talking about jazz, the original jazz, the performing art. It fulfils its meaning only when you play it live in front of an audience." DownBeat January 1983.

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

18191 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 45 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 14), 45

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 22: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: 2025 obituaries.
Thu 22: Ronnie Scott’s Soho Songbook @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Thu 22: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta. @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors). £6.50 (inc. bf).

Fri 23: Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 24: An Evening with Will Todd @ Durham Cathedral. 7:30pm. Feat. Voices of Hope, Strictly Smokin’ Big Band (members of) & Alice Grace. Performance inc. Todd’s Jazz Missa Brevis. £25.50., £13.50., £19.50., £10.50.

Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Alexia Gardner Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Mon 26: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Pete Roth Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm. Feat. Bill Bruford.

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Mama Terra @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £19.08 (inc. bf).
Wed 28: James Hunter Six @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £28.50. adv. Rhythm & blues.
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Paul Gowland Quartet @ The Star Inn. May 15.

Paul Gowland (ten); Mike Papapavlou (gtr); Ray Truscott (bs); Lewis West (dms) + Kevin Eland (tpt); Dave Weisser (cor); Chris Finch (flug); Peter Ninnims (dms).
(Review by Lance)
Have You Met Miss Jones? was Paul Gowland's musical query. We knew the lady well - or so we thought!
Turns out she's a right little raver in the hands of Gowland, Mike P, Truscott and young West! They took her on a rollercoaster ride to Paradise and beyond. Later, they shared her for four bars at a time before taking her home - God knows what she told her mother!
Next up, Coltrane's Afro Blue. Everyone's heard of Coltrane's famous Sheets of Sound well let me tell you, these weren't sheets - they were 15 TOG duvets! Gowland went for the jugular on this one.
Michael Brecker's enigmatic Midnight Voyage, more restrained but still compelling listening, the oft played bossa Wave, a luxuriant What's New and finally Wayne Shorter's Black Nile brought the set to a close.
Mike P, as ever, displaying delightful dexterity throughout the set. When Mike departs to continue his studies in New York it will be a major loss to the local scene although we do, of course, wish him well. Mike can also be heard at Newcastle Uni tomorrow afternoon (Thursday May 16) at 5pm.
Six String Truscott on bass guitar laid the foundation - powerhouse underpinnings and imaginative solos - whilst yet another young drummer of talent has emerged in the form of Lewis West.
The second set featured the brass section! Kevin Eland took the roof off with a Fergie (Maynard) style blast on C Jam Blues, Dave Weisser added subtlety on cornet and Chris Finch played mellifluous flugel horn. Interwoven among it all PG gave them a few tips and Mike showed he is up for "The Apple".
Dave and Paul blew Willow Weep For me with Ninnims taking over on kit. Speak Low was a medium tempo swing and the final Au Privave (I think) saw the set nicely home and Chelsea beat Benfica 2-1 to complete a feelgood night.
Next week it's Ian Paterson's Slowlight Quartet.
Photos.
Lance.

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