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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

17641 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 915 of them this year alone and, so far, 60 this month (Dec. 26).

From This Moment On ...

December

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. CANCELLED!
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.
Tue 31: Jan Spencelayh Quartet @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 5:00-9:00pm. A NYE ‘Dinner-Dance’ event. £42.99. Featuring special guest Mick Donnelly.
Tue 31: Jack Logan @ The Robin Hood Inn, East Wallhouses NE18 0LL. Tel: 01434 672549. 7:00pm. £59.95. ‘New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner’. Rat Pack etc.

January 2025

Wed 01: Revolutionaires @ The Old Barrel (Flatties), Boldon Colliery. 3:30pm. Free. Excellent rhythm & blues.

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

Sat 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £5.00. Xmas party (rescheduled from early December).

Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.

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

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Mark Williams Trio + Claude Werner @ Jazz Café January 11

Mark Williams (gtr); Paul Susans (bs.gtr); Richard Brown (dms) + Claude Werner (ten).
(Review by Lance)
I arrived early and although there were as yet few in attendance the signs were promising. Zoe Gilby's latest CD was playing in the background which was only right and proper as two thirds of tonight's trio were on the CD. Bottles of real ale jostled with the inevitable Peroni and, whilst the walls still need jazzing up a bit, overall the feel was good. As the free admission cut off time (9pm) approached the room filled up and by the time Williams and co hit the deck running there was a respectable sized audience.
The set comprised Mark Williams' originals that served to display the jovial Irishman's facility. Shades of Schofield and Metheny (as Russell pointed out) were interspersed with passages of soulful lyricism including one incredible stretched out cadenza-like break. In particular, Weird Waltz displayed the ease with which he coped with ever changing moods and modes. Unsure what Mark's final chord was  but it must have included ruptured ninths and flatulent fifths - a well named and brilliant composition!
Not that Mark was the only driver on the bus., in one of several fine bass guitar solos, Susans defied the prevailing winds with a solo of such rare and delicate beauty that the room became enveloped in a hushed silence before erupting with tumultuous applause.
Throughout all these contrasting emotions Richard Brown was rock solid, going with the flow until his moment arrived. Richard may look the epitome of cool but, beneath that outward demeanour, lurks a volcanic interior that, when ignited, erupts with such a rhythmic complexity the listener could be fooled into thinking he had an extra arm, maybe two.
Time to re-charge our glasses, exchange the latest jazz gossip and eagerly await the second set and the pre departure arrival of Claude Werner - surely Chile's greatest gift to Newcastle and I haven't overlooked the Robledo brothers (football reference)! Claude is heading south so this was his north-east swansong.
What can I say? He leaves behind a wonderful legacy. Tenor playing that exudes emotion, technique and just so much soul.  Surely he was born with a silver saxophone in his mouth! Man and machine as one - joined at the hip and I use the word advisedly.
From the opening belter via the rhapsodic You've Changed to the final Williams  opus Booze Blues (Bloos?) the Santiago Supersax left us with a night to remember,
not least the final exchanges with Mark which saw the pair musically entwined.
Phew!
Photos.
Lance.

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