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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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, November 24, 2013

Five Men No Dog – Salsa Café November 23


Dave Jones (vocals), Peter Drake (sax/vocals), Simon Stephenson (guitar), Andy Booth (percussion), Jonny Drake (electric d.bass)
(Review by Kath Jobes).
Five Men No Dog were billed as playing a mix of original and classic songs that draws on jazz, blues, folk and swing and ‘sister’ we were not disappointed!  
The first set commenced with St Celie’s Blues from the film, The Colour Purple and then we swiftly took the A Train down to Sugar Hill with pleasant solos from the sax and guitar.  Ain’t Misbehavin’ set away with a mellow saxophone and led onto a bright version of  All of Me
We had just settled down into ‘Jazz Lounge music mode’ when out of the hat came a Peter Drake original - You Shot Me Down and suddenly I felt that the band had got into their stride… Confidence growing Dave Jones went on to Fly Me to the Moon with enthusiastic solos from Sax and Guitar before a segue into a vivacious I Will Survive.  The tone was then knocked back as Simon Stephenson played a colla voce My Funny Valentine… beautifully executed by Dave Jones.

The Latin beat of the percussionist Andy Booth inspired the gentle groove of another Peter Drake Original, Don’t Give up that Dream and then moved into a vamp with the young Jonny Drake on bass to introduce the ‘seasonally inappropriate’ Summertime. Apparently Jonny did so well in his recent GCSE’s that his dad bought him an electric double bass… methinks there was method in his madness as he needed a bass player… so his present was dual purpose…. In the six months he has been playing bass Jonny seems to have really got a good grasp of this instrument and can only get better… I have to say that an electric double bass appears to be a walk in the park compared with the vigorous workout it seems to be on an acoustic bass… but I digress… back to the set… 

The next tune - Happiness, was written by Crispin Holland and certainly brought a happy feel to the place… moving on to a song clearly rooted in folk music, Van Diemen’s Land - another Peter Drake original.   The Tracks of My Tears moved me - with sensitive percussion from Booth, and the set came to an end with an inspired Love is Like a Foreign Land.  

We came Zorbing into the second set and I have to say I was a little distracted by the table conversation during I Want You. However, my attention  was soon brought back to the band during the lively original - Love Says Hello with an animated section of rhythmic clapping  by the bass and sax player to accompany the percussionist.

The mood then switched back to folk roots as we bobbed down the River of Salt to a livelier Tears Dry/Aint no Mountain.  The next section of songs showed the versatility of Peter Drake’s song writing, as a poignant number – Old led nicely into Glenn Miller is Missing and Running for You.  The next tune – Django and Florine had a gypsy music feel and was inspired by Django Reinhardt. Pete Drake then joined Dave Jones to harmonise during Do You Remember? And this vocal duo implemented a nice rhythmic A capella section during Your Wild One.  The finale of this varied and enjoyable evening of music was Down So Long.
Kath J.

Post Script:  Comments from friends were: - they thought this group of musicians were nicely balanced, the percussion complemented their style, a full drum kit would have disturbed their equilibrium, and the band really came into their own when they were performing original numbers… I agree and I would certainly recommend that if you get the opportunity to see Five Men No Dog perform that you make an effort to do so… nice one fellas!

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Ms Jobes, you do go on!!!

Lance said...

In depth reporting!

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