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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

Friday, November 01, 2013

Paul Dunmall Sextet @ Cluny 2. October 29.

 Paul Dunmall (tenor  saxophone, flute &  pipes), Mike Fletcher (alto saxophone & flute), Percy Pursglove (trumpet), Mike Hurley (keyboards), Chris Mapp (double bass) & Mark Sanders (drums)
(Review by Russell/Photos by Ken Drew)
We were at his fiftieth and we reconvened this week on the occasion of his sixtieth. In between times some of us caught Paul Dunmall on numerous visits to Tyneside. Now in his sixtieth year, the self effacing reeds maestro looked no different with the passing decade and if anything, sounded better than ever. Dunmall assembled a sextet of ‘masters of their instruments’ to celebrate the milestone with a three date tour. In improv circles a three date tour constitutes a marathon stretch on the road, the equivalent of Led Zeppelin in their prime doing fifty eight nights out of sixty



Cluny 2 (the Cluny’s ‘other space’) drew a good sized crowd (a few short of arena proportions) to hear what Dunnall was up to. Well, what a surprise! On stage (a modest affair) music stands fought for a place amongst the instruments and instrument stands. Rewind…music stands? Sheet music? But this was to be an improv gig. The first of two sets presented Dunmall’s written music – suites I, II, III, IV and more, titles, if any, undisclosed. Frontline woodwind and brass read their parts and in the tradition of Miles and Trane walked off stage leaving the soloist or duo in the spotlight. Piano, bass and drums swung like the proverbial. Mark Sanders, the first call percussionist on the British improv scene, revealed another side to his playing with some of the fiercest, thrilling drumming heard on Tyneside since Martin Drew. Bassist Chris Mapp swung it big time and the two-handed Mike Hurley leapt from French impressionism to the Post Modern with ease. Dunmall and Mike Fletcher worked together as flautists and later as pipers. The bandleader’s tenor solos were of epic proportions, as good as you’ll hear, Fletcher acquitted himself admirably on alto and trumpeter Percy Pursglove gave a brilliant display; development of solo, timing, fingers a blur, breath control.
Written sections gave way to the improvised yet all the while the underlying structure held firm. Many a mainstream fan would have taken something, taken much, from the set. Second set found us on more familiar Dunmall territory. The improviser took centre stage. His band mates were similarly off the leash; Mapp deployed electronics, engaging feedback, Sanders must have bumped his head during the interval because on resumption he was his old improv self! The sceptics (those all too quick to deride the improv form), had they been present, would surely have concluded that it isn’t such a leap from ‘jazz’ to ‘improv’. Who knows, they could have been tempted to purchase a CD on the night. A memorable Paul Dunmall gig. In ten years time there will be another one (and others in the meantime). Make sure you’re there.                

Russell.       

1 comment :

joesh said...

I think there's really only one comment which I could honestly make ..... "I wish I'd been there!", wow sounds like a good evening. Interesting to see Paul in this type of line up. I really liked his recent release with Mark Hanslip "Weeping Idols", interesting to see that band live one of these days.

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