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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

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: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde 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: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

New Look Jazz Café to Open December 7 - Bands Wanted.

Newcastle’s famous Jazz Café is approaching the completion of a complete refit and will re-open on Saturday December 7. From then on it will open weekly from Tuesday to Saturday – as a café from lunchtime and in the evenings as a bar. From 9pm until late on Fridays and Saturdays the bar will be featuring live jazz.
A couple of quick introductions at this point. The new look Jazz Café is now and will in future be managed by the long-term owner of the building and of the neighbouring Newcastle Arts Centre.  My role in the operation is solely the programming of bands on the Friday and Saturday nights. My experience comes from my years with Jazz North East and, before that, from jazz programming at Live Theatre, including for Newcastle Jazz Festival.
What are we looking for?
1. The best bands and musicians in the Northern region.
2. Trios – and at a pinch quartets – to fit our small stage.
3. Two sets of music between 10pm and midnight.
4. Bands which are used to projecting. *
5. Music more extrovert than the reverse.*
* Although the venue has an upstairs lounge for committed non-listeners and there are other areas downstairs in the bar where quiet chat shouldn’t seriously blank out the band, this venue is, after all, a bar. We’re therefore boxing clever in our early days.
What do we offer?
1. Payment by guaranteed fee, set at a level likely to be more attractive to trios.
2. Interval drink.
3. A good quality Hyundai upright piano.
4. 600 watt Peavey six channel mixer amp, two speakers and three microphones.
5. Stage lights
6. A fully accessible, sixty seat, city centre venue, a great platform for your band.
If you are interested in playing at the new Jazz Café please send details of your band(s) to me at admin@newcastle-arts-centre.co.uk
Regards
Dave Clarke
P.S. Also required are two “fun”  trios to play the new venue on New Year’s Eve.


6 comments :

Anonymous said...

"...likely to be more attractive to trios" :)

Anonymous said...

Union rates?

Hoochie Coochie said...

Best wishes to this new venture.- Hoochie Coochie

Lance said...

I hope they have a portrait of Keith Crombie prominently displayed and perhaps a history of its past...It should have a blue plaque!

Lance said...

Afterthought: Re NYE and 'Two Fun Trios'. Assuming you're not expecting them to play 'For Fun' why not book a six piece instead - at NYE rates of course.

Anonymous said...

2 sessions of Jazz for a total of 4 hours a week doth not a Jazz Cafe make. Using the name Jazz Cafe is a travesty if that's all you have to offer.

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