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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

17985(and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 306 of them this year alone and, so far, 62 this month (April 26).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

Wed 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 30: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 30: International Jazz Day @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £16.00.; £14.00. adv.. Feat. Guido Spannocchi, John Pope & Steve Hanley + Take it to the Bridge participants + Open Mic Night participants.

MAY 2025

Thu 01: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Member’s Contribution.
Thu 01: Alabaster de Plume @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 01: Living in Shadows + OUTRI @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: The Shayo Experiment @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Shayo Oshodi & Liam Oliver.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Seaburn. 4:30-6:15pm. Free.
Fri 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £7.50. A ‘Nauta’s House’ gig featuring Nauta & guests Shayo Oshodi & David Gray.
Fri 02: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 02: Dom Pipkin @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Solo piano.
Fri 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00. + bf.

Sat 03: Hot Fingers @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Summer Samba Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 03: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Postmodern Jukebox @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 03: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:30pm. 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

Whitley Bay Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel nr. Shiremoor. Day 3 Afternoon.Nov. 3.

(Review by Lance).
Another day of Classic Jazz that fully lived up to expectations. I just caught the last quarter of an hour of Hip Chicks featuring those two hippest of chicks - Daryl Sherman and Cécile McLorin Salvant.
Daryl sang I'll Never Say 'never again' again and More Than You Know (with verse) then Cécile gave us There's a Lull in my Life with Daryl on piano before both girls took it out duetting on I'm Beginning to See the Light.
Personnel for this and other Sunday gigs see previous post.
I missed Banjo Crackerjacks but returned to the auditorium for The Dark Angel of the Violin which was a tribute to Eddie South and Stuff Smith featuring the north-east's own dark angel of the violin - Emma Fisk (pictured with Spats Langham sans spats, Richard Pite , drums, Jean-Francoise Bonnel, sax and Henry Lemaire on bass.)
This was an eye-opener! I've heard Emma many times with Djangologie and always enjoyed her playing albeit perhaps maybe taking it for granted - never again!
As she did on Friday with Daryl, Emma once again astounded me with her exciting solos except this afternoon she moved up a gear! Not only did she swing like the proverbial but she did it whilst simulating Stuff Smith and Eddie South, no easy task! With Jeff Barnhart on piano (and vocal on You's a Viper) Emma gave a demonstration of jazz fiddle that, for me, was a festival highlight - perhaps the festival highlight!. In particular, the final number Stuff Smith's Skip It made me glad I hadn't skipped this one! Oh yes and she can front a band! Emma's introductions were both witty and informative.
Next up was some Vintage Eddie Condon and the Chicagoans a program of early Condon led by Andy Schumm on trumpet, cornet and comb and paper. The latter "instrument" was as effective as it had been originally when Red McKenzie did it with the Mound City Blue Blowers 86 years ago!
Only query I have is as to why today's band used both a double bass player and a sousaphone player?
The afternoon session concluded with The Count Steps In - Basie 1936/37.
From the opening Jive at Five it became obvious we were in for a big band treat. This was the earthy, loosely swinging early band packed with soloists as was, indeed, today's outfit. Matthias Seuffert was Lester and he duly Leapt In. Jean-Francois Bonnel was Blue and Sentimental, this latter number also had a guitar chorus by Roly Veitch something Freddie Greene never achieved! More local interest with Gavin Lee on alto and also baritone on Pound Cake.
The final number - One O'Clock Jump - really did jump with solos all round and a few dancers too!
Back to the CD Stall where I was on duty. I should mention that a lot of the CDs that were for sale were from the late Mike Durham's personal collection the proceeds of which went to the Marie Curie Cancer Care fund. There were also a lot of his books sold for the same cause. I picked up Hampton Hawes' Raise Up Offa Me. And William Claxton's magnificent photographic collection - Jazz Seen.
Lance.

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