Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 27: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 12 noon-2:00pm (two sets). £12.00. admission (card or cash at the door). Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums). Note change of venue, no longer at Mrs M’s as advertised, the concert will be in the Old Library (Bishop Auckland Jazz’s regular venue). Important! It’s a ‘BYOB’ arrangement - ie bring your own booze (and/or tea, coffee, soft drinks).
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:00pm. ‘Klezmer, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan & More!’.
Fri 31: Nothing in Rambling @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £10.00. + bf. Country blues duo.
Fri 31 Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Wylam Institute. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. + £1.50. bf.
Fri 31: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £10.00 + bf. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.
Fri 31: Alan Barnes Quartet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00 Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 31: SwanNek + Rivkala @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. SwanNek’s new single launch gig. Pilgrim, formerly Hoochie Coochie.

February 2025

Sat 01: Alan Barnes & John Hallam with the Tom Kincaid Trio @ 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 - Cy Coleman’s Witchcraft. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 01: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 01: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Western swing etc.

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

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Sting: When The Last Ship Sails. BBC1 Sunday December 22.

Sting (vcls/ gtr/bs/narration); Jimmy Nail (vcl); Jo Lawry (vcl); Kathryn Tickell (vln/North-pipes); Peter Tickell (vln/man); Julian Sutton (melodion); Ira Coleman (bs); Joe Bonadio (dms); Dominic Miller (gtrs); The Wilson Family (vcls); Rob Mathes (MD/pno/gtr/vcl).
(Review by Lance).
This was good! It wasn't jazz - it wasn't intended to be. It was folksy and, musically, better suited for review by Ann Alex rather than myself. However, as AA probably never worked in a shipyard and I spent my early wage-earning years loosely connected to the then ginormous industry, perhaps she will excuse me for pulling rank!
Filmed in a small New York theatre - yes, not the New York near Whitley Bay but in the Big Apple itself - the show featured songs from Wallsend-born Sting's forthcoming play, When The Last Ship Sails. Now, irrespective of whether you have been deafened by a caulker or got a flash (eye damage not sexual) from a welder it doesn't matter. The music overrides these things and indeed brings them to the understanding of the layman.
The songs are good and well performed by Sting and fellow Geordie Jimmy Nail along with the lovely Jo Lawry, the equally lovely Kathryn Tickell and a cast of fellow male north-easteners.
I'm saying it isn't jazz but, somehow, even when Sting talks you think jazz - he has a cadence to his voice that he didn't get from living in Wallsend. Or maybe he did. I recall gigs at the Memorial Hall in Wallsend by Johnny Dankworth and Mick Mulligan as well as a few local jazz bands. These gigs were whilst Sting was still a toddlin' Gordon but perhaps they left something in the air that hung around and settled on the then Master Sumner and inspired him to become the worldwide phenomenon that he eventually did.
I can't wait to see the actual play but, in the meantime, the show's got a few iplayer days left. Perfect Xmas day viewing!
Lance.
at

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

Outstanding diamond of a duet for me was Jo Lawry and Sting singing
Practical Arrangement.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013 8:06:00 pm
Lance said...

Anonymous comment published at Editor's discretion.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013 8:11:00 pm
Ponteland McGriff said...

I like some of it, but the more Lionel Barty bits get on my nerves. However I suppose they're obligatory for Musical Theatre.
I agree about the duet - amazing 2 part harmony.
Another cavil: his accent is somewhere in the Atlantic between Morpeth and Manhattan.

Thursday, January 02, 2014 1:31:00 pm

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )

Blog Archive