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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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

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

Friday, November 22, 2013

Carol Grimes @ Lauderdale House, London Jazz Festival. November 21.

Carol Grimes (vocals); Dorian Ford (piano);Annie Whitehead (trombone); Neville Malcom (bass);  Winston Clifford (drums).
(Review by Flore).
'If you want to get ahead get a hat and head for Lauderdale House'. The temperature doesn't just dive in Newcastle, North London also has its share of howling winds, and below zero temperatures. 
Carol rapidly  warmed the audience up with red hair flowing topped by a snazzy hat  at a jaunty angle, her way of warning off  winter's bugs.
1. All Blues, already the packed audience were anything but blue.
2.Little Sister, with drummer Winston interjecting 'Call my Name', who wouldn't?
3.’Round Midnight, Carol chose Oscar Brown’s lyric, ably philosophising (is there such a word)?.........'as one day gets spent we gain another'.......through all this a speedy tempo, but was toned down for some poetry.......'the ghost of Thelonious Monk visits me'......and we are enveloped in a cha cha rhythm to conclude  on a high. By this point the audience were agog!

4.Scars, Fran Landesman lyric, Simon Wallace score. Again very profound lyric, but true to Carol’s inimitable style, delivered  with a twist. How does Annie manage to get her trombone to slide to a whispering finish?
5.Innards,  Only Carol could write a lyric naming  parts of the anatomy, and Dorian perform such an alluring solo, punctuated by Annie 'growling' ( I was privileged to have a seat behind Dorian which allowed me to  see the silent communication between  the triangle of piano bass and drums).
6.The Dance, once again lyric by Carol, music Dorian. Carol said her inspiration came from paintings by Marc Chagall.  This piece was a superb vehicle for solos from all the group. Hope Chagall was tuned into the multi coloured ending to the first set. The audience clamouring to buy the current CD featuring pieces performed.
7.Annie's Little Red Trombone;  Carol was inspired to pen this when Annie  arrived as a party guest  bearing a red plastic(made in China) Trombone.  I couldn't stop giggling to listen to the lyrics but a lot of 'red' was mentioned.....'beetroot salad, red beans’........comedy  switched to virtuosity with Winston pairing with Dorian on piano, and also scatting  with Neville on bass.
8.But I was Cool;  An open invitation with a blues flavour to let it all hang out, Annie 'growled', possibly to draw a veil across some four letter words, Carol’s voice soared to falsetto, a signal for musicians mayhem, ending as it began, being 'Cool'
9.Tree and Me;  Change of mood, Carol introduced this as a favourite of her daughters.  Again, for me the lyric was profound, with the musicians  offering a sound basis, for Carol to then present herself  in a totally different way, once more tongue in cheek
10.New Coat of Paint; Tom Waits. I suspect a very different version to the original. Opportunity for more 'growling' from Annie (she does it like no other). In a nutshell -Honky Tonk.
11.Ship Building;  Elvis Costello, yet again thought provoking material, delivered  in an upbeat way, turning  the theme upside down, as they say 'that's Jazz'
12.Rags and Old Iron; I am certain  that this Nina Simone classic was as they say in the trade, a 'Big Finish', with all the signs of a mini Musical.  It drew all the threads together, but left the audience hungry for more. 

A stellar choice for the London Jazz Festival.  I take my hat off to Brian Blane for selecting such  a galaxy of stars.  Definitely a case for Keeping Jazz Live.
Flore

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