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

Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: George Shearing Jazz Moments.

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.

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.

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, September 16, 2013

Katherine Stone Quartet @ The Cherry Tree, Jesmond.

Katherine Stone (vcl); Dean Stockdale (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Steve Doyle (dms).
(Review by Lance.)
The singer, the band and the chef were on form tonight.
The trio kicked things off with Lady Be Good (or maybe that was just a soundcheck as they reprised it in the second set. It was good both times and I'd happily have reprised my starter - Craster crab salad, avocado, chicory and pomelo.
Ms Stone took to the stage and gave us a choice selection of tried and tested Gasbook fayre including Fly Me To The Moon, Sway, Let There be Love, I Get a Kick Out of You and My Baby Just Cares For me. The Nina Simone piece has long been a favourite of mine - it's timeless, or at least it would be if singers updated the lyric. It's 2013 and we're still singing about Liz Taylor, Lana Turner and Liberace! It wouldn't take the genius of a Cole Porter to update the lyric to something more topical. This isn't aimed at Katherine Stone, it's aimed at everyone who sings it!
The Way You Look Tonight done as a bossa nova, Get Happy, Blue Moon, I Wish You Love, Smile and They Can't Take That Away From me. rounded off the first set and was the perfect accompaniment to Pan Fried Sea Bass with Thai flavours and fragrant rice. My mouth is still watering at the memory.
During the break I indulged in an Eton Mess in a brandy snap cup. Shangri-la!
The trio returned for a Tatumesque All the Things You Are and the second bite at Lady Be Good. Stockdale is one fine pianist, Doyle's brushwork crisp and unobtrusive, Grainger, the unassuming player of the right notes in the right order, a tower of strength.
Katherine Stone returned for a slightly more contemporary set. It must have been contemporary because I didn't recognise all of them. Moondance, I Just Want to Make Love to You, Dindi were the ones I did identify along with I've Got You Under my Skin and Time to Hit the Road to Dreamland by which time it was time for me to catch the 33a and link up with the 27 which I did with a couple of minutes to spare. An enjoyable evening both artistically and gastronomically..
Lance.

1 comment :

Brenda Jenki Sokell said...

I do alternative words for My Baby Just Cares for Me. For instance; George Clooney is not his style and even Julia Roberts Smile!

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