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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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 31: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. 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

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

CD Review: Tim Kliphuis - The Grappelli Album

Tim Kliphuis (vln); Nigel Clark (gtr); Roy Percy (bs).
A few years back, at the Saville Exchange, North Shields - remember those wonderful sessions the late Mike Durham organised there and the top class musicians he brought to the historic building? Ken Peplowski, Marty Grosz and Daryl Sherman to mention but a few. Oh yes, and there was a Dutch violinist - Tim Kliphuis, in the company of Keith Stephen, Roly Veitch and Bruce Rollo. I remember it well, the man from Holland swung it like the man from Paris! Let me tell you he does it again here - Grappelli Lives!
The opening Honeysuckle Rose reminded me the song had a verse. I first encountered Honeysuckle Rose in a book of Fats Waller tunes and, in those days (I was about 14), I assumed that if a piece of music had a verse it was played as part of the tune or else why bother writing it? So I learned the verse. As my education progressed I discovered that playing the verse was the exception rather than the norm. Shame. Might as well cut out the When shall we three meet again, in thunder lightning or in rain? from the opening scene of  Macbeth.
However, I digress, this is jazz violin at its finest and, dare I say it? Unlike Stephane, Tim doesn't have the chugging clunk clunk Hot Club rhythm to hold him back.
Don't get me wrong, Django was marvellous and the bands that recreate the Hot Club music such as Djangologie do it very well but I have to say that Grappelli sounded so much better in his later years with Martin Taylor, John Etheridge etc.
I'm going to savour this disc as long as I have taste buds in my ears. Not just the classic gassers such as Honeysuckle, I Surrender Dear, How High the Moon, J'Attendrai, Shine, The Nearness of You and the Hot Club faves - Swing 39 and Stompin' at Decca - but also the five rare Grappelli compositions relatively unknown to other than the connoisseur - every one a gem.
On guitar Clark, makes no attempt to re-create the Django role, although he does occasionally nod in the gypsy's direction, but instead takes the latterday approach of Grappelli's later sidemen and does it brilliantly.
Roy Percy - Scotland's Mr Bassman lives up to his title.
Love it!
Lance.  

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