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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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Bellavana @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30-10:00pm. Free. A Late Shows event.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.
Sat 17: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Newcastle City Library. 9:00-10:00pm. Free. A 'Late Shows' event.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

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, December 09, 2013

ALT – Splinter @ the Bridge December 8

Alan Law (Piano) John Pope (D Bass) Jonathan Marriott (Drums)
(Review by Kath Jobes)
Wow what a busy Sunday! First I went to the inaugural Jam session at Salsa… great to see some new faces… long may it continue… you can never have too much Jazz!   After a bite to eat at and a natter to a couple of folks, I moved on to Splinter at The Bridge… well, I thought, why not make an evening of it?
I think I was the first one there… apart from the band, but slowly the numbers grew, although not quite as well attended as expected…but that’s the way it goes sometimes. 
The first set commences with Tyneside Blues, an original number written by Alan Law, filled with 13ths in recognition of a mate he used to play with who would often shout out that the chord in bar so and so is a 13th… sorry I missed the guy’s name but anyone who plays with him may well recognise this reference.  This tune began with a very laid-back piano but quickly gained momentum into a nice improvised section between D. Bass and Piano.  The next number, Ending, was described as ‘not swing’  and indeed that soft piano introduction with occasional swishes from the brushes of Jonathan Marriott that grew as ‘Thee Pope’ added his bass was certainly not swing… the progression onto an intricate bass solo and variation of timbre  of percussion and piano enthralled the growing audience.  A lovely ballad ensued, I Remember Clifford, and this tune exhibited the wonderful combination of Bass and Piano, with just the occasional tickle of the cymbals from Marriott… enchanting!
A Don Cherry number, Brown Rice was introduced by Popes unique style -  skilfully slapping and tapping his bass with only the occasional pluck of a string… the piano and drum grew into the tune giving it an organic quality, the feel of the music modulated between soft and vibrant sections… the drums really came in to their own in this piece, as Jonathan switched between brushes, to sticks and on to timpani mallets, booming out,  bringing images of a thunderstorm turning to a softer rain and, just as you thought the storm was over, we were rapidly  returned to the cacophony of the storm… simply stunning!
The last number of this set, Mixed with Glass, was written by John Pope and described by Alan Law as, “a lullaby that gets kinda shouty!”  This tune really spoke to my soul, it started off so gently with soft brushwork joined by a tranquil piano, and the occasional ‘heartbeat’ from the bass drum. 
As the layers of instruments were added, and the timbre modulated between soft and gentle to crazy and mixed up, then back to soft and gentle… the internal changes of emotion continued and grew with the resounding percussion to a roar as we reached the pinnacle…that simply faded away.  Phew!  What emotional dynamic music… and how could it get any better… but it did!
*****
The second half was a free jazz session, having been at a recent free jazz event at the Sage I thought I was prepared for this next piece, jovially named by Alan Law as ‘Half Past Nine on a Sunday Night at the Bridge  in December’,  but later christened as A Journey of Consciousness.  I would think that every member of the audience would have their own take on this piece of music, but as I listened, I jotted down my thoughts and imaginings which I shall share with you…
For me this emotive piece brought forth a passionate journey, with streams of consciousness varying between strolling along to suddenly crashing into oblivion… becoming quite insistent as the musicians ‘lost themselves’ in their own instruments.  A sudden lull in the music was filled as the piano exerted its presence to be joined by bass and percussion…. Anxious confusion and turmoil ebbed away to softer gentler flutterings, flowing on like an unstoppable river to a more insistent sound until it reaches the sea… and the waves gently crash against the shore.  A song of renewal and new beginnings brought forth new life and developed a new and exciting theme heading out into the cosmos before being brought back to earth by a deep and reverberating bass solo as we were thrown into the uncertainty of not knowing where we were going.  Suddenly we are running to escape this reality and uncertainty is revealed again… the repetition of a phrase by both bass and piano led us ever onwards to who knows where… perhaps to the deepest corners of our soul in search of the soul bird… searching the corners of one’s mind to where internal destruction has hidden all thought of what was before … thoughts… where am I?  Where am I going? What will I find… a new start… a broken heart… life goes on and I will survive this journey and go ever onwards… intertwining petals of a flower spiral around and growth returns, determined, strong and feisty… ebbing away to a steady flow before the insurgence of tension builds to bursting pitch! 
… And ten minutes later I was still feeling the emotive storm raging within deep in my solar plexus… yes indeed this was a Journey of Consciousness!
Thanks to Kathryn Lowdon for her thoughts and input, and the ‘stolen’ phrase, ‘streams of consciousness’.
Kath J.

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