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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. 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

Friday, January 24, 2014

Enhance Your Jazz Skills With African Percussion

(By Ann Alex)
You too could sound like Hannabiell and Midnight Blue (at least a bit!) if you took up African Percussion, which is a course offered by Sage Gateshead in Gateshead Old Town Hall (GOTH) on Wednesday afternoons, as part of the Silver Programme.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the first 2 weeks of term 2, when we’ve been playing African hand drums, which are known as Djembes.  These drums are from West Africa and come in various sizes, so every drum is pitched slightly different. Djembes produces 3 different tones, according to whether you play with the fingertips on the rim; with all the fingers further in; or with the whole hand in the middle of the drum.
We've learned a tune from Bukina Faso, which involves the group being divided into 3 parts, each part playing a different rhythm.  There’s a regular groove, a tricky counter rhythm and a slower rhythm which imitates a train, rim rim RIM, in IN in in in.  Perhaps readers can imagine the thrill of playing in rhythm whilst listening to the other drums.  If you close your eyes you could take yourself to the heart of Africa but without the heat.  There’s also a song to go with this, but so far we’ve found it impossible to do both drum and song at the same time.  If you think this sounds easy, just try it at home!  Unless, of course, you’re a jazz drummer and if that’s the case you’ll find it easy, that is if you can sing.
We’ve also done a piece called Zimbabwe, where the song is an integral part of the piece.  This is easy to remember as alternate hands are used.  Every word of 1 syllable is played on the rim and words of more than 1 syllable (eg Zimbabwe) are played in the middle.  Easy Peasy so far, but then it turns out that there are about 4 other parts to the tune!
There are also hand bells in sets of 2 which are larger and louder than the agogo bells used in Samba drumming.  We’ve yet to tackle those.  But I’m sure all this is great for practising rhythms and teamwork in time for the next jazz jam.
Ann Alex

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