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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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 16, 2013

Jam Session - Splinter at the Bridge December 15

Zoe Gilby, Kieran Rafferty & Kath Jobes (Vocal) Alan Law (Piano) John Pope (D Bass) Jonathan Marriott (Drum) Paul Gowland (Sax).
(Review by Kath Jobes)
Well folks, I have to say I was in two minds whether or not to report on this Splinter session.  Lance was undecided whether to publish the comment as he is reluctant to post anonymous ones but maybe readers should have the choice… and one out of 400 hits is probably just a bad egg so I will allow you to decide, here is what “Anonymous” wrote:
My God. Who is this Kath Jobes? She's at it again. Does someone wind her up & throw away the key? A short, informative review would be suffice, by the time we get to the end, we're bored!
Well I will tell you who I am, I am someone who is not afraid to express my views and take responsibility for them.  I will stand up for myself and I will not be bullied by some numpty who hasn’t the courage to sign their name to a rude and personal attack.  If you had been at Splinter you would have known who I was… or maybe you are just hiding behind your words…. If you get bored don’t read my reviews… Simple!  Anyway, enough said!
So folks as I said I hadn’t planned to review this week, I had once again been over to Salsa for a sing, and decided to continue on to Splinter… I didn’t  get my pad out for the first instrumental  number but the minute Zoe Gilby hit the stage I just couldn’t let folks down so out it came to report once more
I Thought About You, sung as a beautiful ballad was followed by Just Squeeze Me, with wonderfully expressive solos from both piano and bass.  Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You was described as a sleazy bluesy number by Zoe and it didn’t disappoint.  The Alan Law trio then went on to play an upbeat interpretation of Bye Bye Blackbird… a song I had sung earlier at Salsa and Law’s improvised piano solo slipped in a phrase of Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, and was followed by more stupendous solos  from Pope on bass and Marriott on drums. 
Kieran Rafferty took to the stage for a couple of numbers, and impressed with I Only Have Eyes For You and Rock a Bye Baby, this singer is highly talented and reminded me of Chet Baker and at times Michael Bublé.  The first set was rounded off nicely by the trio with Blue Bossa
My Funny Valentine was the underlying tune for the introduction of set two by the Trio, but was improvised delightfully by the skilled musicians to the point that I almost forgot that I was up next!  Audience members described my version of Good Morning Heartache as soulful and heartfelt, and indeed that was exactly the interpretation I had wanted. 
Rafferty then came back to centre stage for an exquisite By the Light of the Silvery Moon, and the night was rounded off by Zoe Gilby, who was not allowed to escape without one more brilliant tune… a stupendous bossa – Love For Sale, even Paul Gowland could not resist this tune and got out his tenor to delight with a stunning solo… dressed as the Christmas Elf with his Santa hat on.  As the night came to a close Paul Bream thanked attendees for coming along to support Splinter at the Bridge and reminded people about Tuesday Night at The Cluny where AVC have a final gig of the year… it will be well worth seeing folks.
Kath J.

2 comments :

Lance said...

A moment to stand up and be counted!

mark robertson said...

Anonymous's post says more about themselves than Kath Jobes.

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