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Bebop Spoken There

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The Things They Say!

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Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Ruthie Culver and the Utter Jazz Quartet with readings of the works of W H Auden by Nikolas Grace @ Hexham Abbey. Sept 20.

(Review by Peter Ninnim.)
The theme of the concert was  Benjamin Britten's songs with W H Auden's words re-arranged into a jazz score! I was sceptical at first but within a few minutes it was obvious that this was going to be something special. There were so many good things that it is hard to know where to start. Each piece of music was followed by an extract from a W H Auden poem read with great care and feeling by late stand in Nikolas Grace. The pieces were modern jazz to gentle rock; jazz waltz to samba and swinging like mad in places.
Some of you will be familiar with the poem from 4 weddings and a funeral called Funeral Blues and this was one of the outstanding pieces in the second half with a sensitive vocal performance by Ruthie Culver and moving playing by bassist Jonny Gee. Many of the readings were humorous but most were deep, although quite short, messages of intensely felt emotion. Miss Culvers’ singing was a masterclass in clarity of diction and the vocal gymnastics necessary on some of the songs reminded me throughout of Cleo Laine, every aspiring singer in the region should have been listening. This was particularly evident on Now the leaves are falling fast which was supported throughout by stunning piano accompaniment by Dan Hewson and  by the coolest drumming I have heard in years by Andrea Trillo; (Italian George Clooney look alike I'm told).
The final number, When you're feeling like expressing your affection, had a gentle bluesy funk feel to it and had everyone in the audience of over a hundred people moving in their seats. I haven't mentioned Mick Foster so far but he was ever present playing Bass Clarinet; Flute; Soprano, Baritone and C Melody Sax and very evident on this song. Wow!
I should mention that Dan Hewson played trombone as well as piano; Jonny Gee also produced a trumpet or flugelhorn so there was a proper horn section at times!
Despite tickets being £14.00 I thought 100 people was an amazing audience and talking to everyone afterwards it was apparent that the band had made a huge hit. It was great to see the whole group including Nikolas Grace talking to the audience in the interval and after the show. A lesson to all bands I feel.
One last word. The sound system was balanced beautifully and despite the high ceiling and stone walls we could hear every note.
Great concert, thanks Hexham.
Peter Ninnim.

1 comment :

Lance said...

I'm glad I didn't go - my review couldn't have matched that! Thank you Peter, your BSH badge is in the post.

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