Total Pageviews

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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

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, November 18, 2013

London Jazz Festival: David Sanborn/Bob James - Zoe Rahman Quartet @ The Barbican November 16.

Bob James (pno); David Sanborn (alt); Scott Colley (bs); Steve Gadd (dms).
(Review by Lance).
The applause was tumultuous from the packed auditorium even before the quartet had played a note! This crowd knew the form and clearly felt they'd backed a winner!
And they had! From the opening reflective chords from James you could feel the tension building up to the entrance of Sanborn and the rhythm section. Tension and Resolution was Peter Ind's formula and it worked here too. This was an absolute dream session. The Crowd knew its stuff and the familiar themes were given deserved recognition. All four went for the jugular. Sanborn I'd seen and heard before but Bob James had passed by my radar - not any more, not whilst wearing those shoes! Two tone with what appeared to be red lights attached. We're so out of touch up here!
Shoes or no shoes James provided the perfect antidote to Sanborns histrionic flights. Particularly impressive were James' Brubeckian inspired compositions. Lady sitting next to me said "I'm going to get that CD".
In the the previous set by the Zoe Rahman Quartet I thought Bart Calderazzo  had nailed the drum honours until I heard Steve Gadd! He is something else again and I say that without taking anything away from Bart.
Zoe Rahman (pno); Idris Rahman (clt); Alec Dankworth (bs); Bart Calderazzo (dms)
A relatively short set building up to the head-liners. Ironically, Zoe and her cohorts could have easily been the top billers - perhaps they spun a coin. Whatever, it was a good set with Zoe displaying the technique and presence that never fails to endear her to audiences north, south and in-between. She's always exciting to hear and not bad to look at either! Many of the numbers were from her Kindred Spirit  album reviewed here last year. I particularly love the Irish flavoured number that has Idris  blowing jazz ceilidh! Bart I've mentioned but, what a day for bass players today has been.
Peter Ind, Andy Champion, Scott Colley and Alec Dankworth - only Ray Brown and Charles Mingus couldn't make it owing to higher commitments!
Lance.

No comments :

Blog Archive