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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 19: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s 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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