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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 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

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Keith Nichols and the Swing City Trio @ Trinity Centre, Gosforth June 15.

Keith Nichols (pno/vcl); Steve Andrews (ten/sop/clt/vcl); Roly Veitch (gtr/vcl); Roy Cansdale (bs).
(Review by Lance. - photo on left supplied by Roly Veitch.)
The Swing City Trio went into a rhapsodic version of Darn That Dream with Andrews giving an unbroken rendition á la Coleman no, not Ornette, but the high and mighty Hawk filling the crowded room with his big sound.
The special guest of the evening took his place at the upright and immediately took his sugar to tea. When I Take my Sugar to Tea had the pianist singing and playing in a delightful 20's/30's style that told us we were in for a good evening of classic American song. Andrews appeared to be having problems with his soprano switching to clarinet mid way. Turns out one of the mother of pearl discs that connect finger to key had come adrift.
She's Funny That Way had a rare vocal by Andrews as well as some impressive clarinet.
And so the evening progressed. Some of These Days and Mississippi Mud saw the vocal chores back with Nichols. The trio left the stage and the piano man treated us to some ragtime (Heliotrope Rag) and stride (Numb Fumblin') plus some Italian nonsense about a Hoochie Coochie dancer in Coney Island!
The trio returned and Veitch had the vocal spotlight on Back in Your Own Backyard. The set finished with Hoagy's Jubilee (sounds like a real ale!).
It was good to see such an excellent turnout for what was the final concert arranged by the late Mike Durham.
Back to the music. Veitch sang What a Little Moonlight Can Do and Andrews hit pay dirt on clarinet with Moonlight in Vermont rightly pointing out that Moonlight in Egremont didn't have quite the same ring to it.
I've Gotta Right to Sing the Blues, I Wish I were Twins and a luscious version of Sophisticated Lady led to Nichols' second solo spot this time playing Nice Work if You Can Get it, Rosalie, It's Gonna Be You and Stardust.
We were in the home straight now with Nichols and Andrews duetting (piano and clarinet) on a section of Duke's Creole Rhapsody. Truckin', another vocal by Veitch (Stars Fell on Alabama) and finally It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing.
Using the latter title as a guideline then tonight's concert meant a lot!
How could it not with a master of classic piano, a superb multi instrumentalist, a fine guitarist and singer and a rock solid bassman?
Lance.

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