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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. 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 04, 2013

Preston-Glasgow-Lowe @ The Bridge Hotel. November 3

David Preston (guitar), Kevin Glasgow (electric bass) & Laurie Lowe (drums)
(Review by Russell)
Splinter at the Bridge booked a young trio, took a chance and were rewarded with a low turn out. Audience numbers are down just about everywhere but when it is a struggle to reach double figures at the door it begs the question: Why bother? Well, people bother because the music means a lot to them. The promoter - Splinter - will soldier on and the few regulars will continue to show up.
This week’s guests - David Preston, guitar, Kevin Glasgow (six string electric bass) and drummer Laurie Lowe - presented a programme of almost entirely original material and played it with commitment and the highest level of musicianship imaginable. Tyneside is home to tens of thousands of students (several hundred of them studying music) and they were nowhere to be seen. Well, it’s their loss. Hearing the trio would have inspired (or perhaps disheartened) them. These guys could play, big time!
The tunes owed much to seventies’ jazz fusion. The likes of McLaughlin, Clarke and Cobham would have run for cover had they called in to the Bridge for a pint. Preston’s four-fingered fret board work had to be seen (and heard) to be believed. Glasgow, no stranger to the Bridge, possesses amazing chops and Lowe must practice eight days a week! The standard was terrifying. Tunes featured extended solo flights - Preston’s Silvertide featured the composer who laid down a great solo. Everything, Everything (comp. Preston) hinted at lyricism until the fusion pulse took charge once more. Olivier Messiaen’s composition for choir - O Sacrum Convivium - rang out loud and clear in a re-voicing for the three piece. A big sound from a small band! The Priory (comp Glasgow) referenced architect Le Corbusier with Lowe constructing a mighty solo. Piercing guitar developed from a cracking riff on Preston’s CPU with his band mates right on the money. The trio’s closing number - The Anvil (named after the music venue) - ensured we went out on a high.
Russell.                                  

3 comments :

Robert Laing said...

Excellent summary. Disappointing crowd, not for the first time this year. Let us hope we can keep attracting first class musicians to the venue in spite of the apathy of some of the locals. Maybe someone could tell us what we have to do to attract a proportionate crowd to the skill and musicianship of the bands that come to Splinter @ The Bridge. All suggestions welcome.

stevebfc said...

I would have gone if there had been some form of reminder mechanism for informing me about the gig (Twitter,Facebook, Email)

Robert Laing said...

Reminder mechanism? The gig was advertised for weeks ahead on this very blog, plus there is a listing for Splinter in the left hand column of this page. There is a facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/splinterjazz/). There is also a website - http://splinterjazz.co.uk/wordpress/ and on either you can subscribe for news bulletins etc.

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