Bebop Spoken There

Dominick "Domo" Branch: ''Most people say drummers can't write, they're just time-keepers only beating on things. But I have a very musical brain.'' (DownBeat February, 2026)

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

18288 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 142 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 14), 42

From This Moment On ...

February

Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Squabble @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00pm. Steve Chambers (organ); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Sid White (drums).
Fri 20: Jive Aces @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors).
Fri 20: Alex Clarke w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Clarke w. Dean Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Sat 21: ???

Sun 22: Musicians Unlimited: Big Band Blast @ West Hartlepool RFC. 1:00-3:00pm . Free.
Sun 22: Joe Steels Group @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Harben Kay Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: Joe Steels Group @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. A Blue Patch album tour.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Finn-Keeble Group @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00.
Tue 24: Liam Oliver & Shayo Oshodi @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Geordie Jazz Jam @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Newcastle University jam session. All welcome.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 26: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £6.50.
Thu 26: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00 adv.
Thu 26: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Blues.

Fri 27: Joe Steels Group @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! A Blue Patch album tour.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Radio Hito + Eddie Prévost, Silvain Schmid & Tom Wheatley @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.22., £10.10., £8.00.
Fri 27: Giacomo Smith w Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 27: Alan Barnes w. Mick Shoulder Trio @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Trio: Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).

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

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Lindsay Hannon Plus @ Sage Gateshead. July 26.

Lindsay Hannon (vcl); James Harrison (pno); John Pope (bs); David Francis (dms).
(Review by Lance)
It was all happening at Sage Gateshead tonight. A flower show had taken over the main concourse area relegating Lindsay and co to the café area. Paradoxically, to my ears, the acoustics were better in this less cavernous space. Elsewhere, the remnants of a wedding reception floated about but in our improvised performance area another wedding took place - that of Words and Music.
Tom Waits' New Coat of Paint with it's boozy, painting the town lyric came over aces even though most of the band were drinking water (a million jazzmen are turning over in their graves!) Secret Love, Skylark - a beautiful, tender, rendition - Yip Harburg's Down With Love, The amazing lyric to Anais Mitchell's Old Fashioned Hat. . Anyone who wonders why Lindsay is the acknowledged  jazz vocal coach in the area need only listen to her phrasing and breath control on this most poetic of numbers. The Doors' I'm a Spy led into my favourite - Why Try To Change Me Now? A great tune and a great arrangement with it's change of tempo on the release. The set closed with Nature Boy.
Time to reflect on what had been and what was to come.
Lindsay is on fire tonight - no disputing. James and John simply brilliant - David making his debut with the band provided more plus points. On the minus side, the real ale left something to be desired.
Composed by Harold Arlen and recorded by Tony Bennett, So Long Big Time opened up the second innings followed by Joni Mitchell's Blue Motel Room. Lullaby of Birdland had some amusing exchanges between piano and voice before bass and drums left the "stage" for the piano/vocal duo take on What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life? Possibly the greatest musical chat-up line ever!
And so it went on - A bossa by Paul Simon and an unaccompanied intro to Blue Monk completed a magical evening that transcended the beer and the Quaylink bus driver who failed to stop!
Lance.
at

1 comment :

Kath Jobes said...

Hi Lance, I have already mad this comment on facebook, but thought last night's performance was the best yet... so I feel it only right that I wax lyrical:

I have seen the Lindsay Hannon Plus on several occasions and it just keeps getting better! The diversity of songs show Lindsay's tremendous talent as a singer. She has a unique ability to develop empathy with the audience in her delivery which sets her apart from other singers in the area. The band were superb last night, having seen both the pianist and bass player before, I knew it would be good, the drummer seemed to fit in really well, and as this was his first gig with the others I would say that too could only get better... he was talented and together they made a fabulous sound. I am really glad I made the effort... an evening of superb music, not to be missed... and if you did... your loss!

Kath Jobes

Saturday, July 27, 2013 9:18:00 am

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