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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.

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.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ 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

Monday, June 24, 2013

James Harrison Quartet @ The Cherry Tree.

James Harrison (pno); Ian Simpson (gtr); James Robson (bs); Dave Donnelly (dms).
(Review by Lance)
The Cherry Tree these days seems to be a home from home for our top pianists. Paul Edis, Jeremy McMurray, Alan Glen, Alan Law, Dean Stockdale, Peter Gilligan and Stuart Collingwood have all appeared here. James Harrison has done solo gigs here but this was a first appearance with his quartet.
Was he intimidated by his peers? If he was it didn't show.
A first rate performance by a young man who can hold his own in any company, tonight was an absolute delight.
Apart from James, Ian Simpson continues to develop and he too is becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Robson is rapidly moving up the league of bass players and Donaldson kept to brushes all evening without any loss of swing.
On One Note Samba, Harrison described Donnelly's solo as "The quietest drum solo in the world." Paradoxically, it drew the loudest applause. There may be a moral in there somewhere!
The program contained a selection of well worn standards that didn't hurt at all. Good jazz musicians can make a purse out of a sow's ear - not that there were any sow's ears on the menu Although, maybe there was as I started with Pork and Pistachio Terrine.
On the stand we heard Autumn Leaves, So Nice, All of Me, Lullaby of Birdland, My Funny Valentine, Ain't Misbehavin, Fly Me To The Moon and Twisted - complete with the Wardell Gray/Annie Ross solo played note perfect by Harrison.
My Rump Steak was served up medium which was the tempo for Sunny. A Train was a little faster,  Killer Joe was a killer and amazingly a number that sounded a bit like Rockin' Chair was played up tempo - if it was Rockin' Chair no wonder "Dear old Aunt Harriet is up in Heaven"! Excellent.
Some Day my Prince Will Come and Canteloupe Island rounded off my visit as did my Lemon Posset with Hedgerow Berries and Meringue.
Harrison, Simpson and Robson are members of Dropping Bombs who are playing on the concourse at Sage Gateshead this coming Friday (June 28)- a free gig - don't miss it.
Lance.
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