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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.

Tue 01: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 01: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:30pm. Free.

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.

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 28, 2014

The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra directed by Tommy Smith presents­ An Evening with Kurt Elling: SYNTOPICON

Perth, Concert Hall 21st February 2014 at 7.30pm
 Mill Street, Perth PH1 5HZ  01738 621031  Online Box Office
Edinburgh, Queen’s Hall 22nd February 2014  at 7.30 pm   
89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh EH8 9JG  0131 668 2019  Online Box Office       
Glasgow, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 23rd February 2014  at 7.30pm
100 Renfrew Street Glasgow G2 3DB  0141 332 5057  Online Box Office       
2014 begins in bold style for The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) with yet another adventurous collaboration – this time with the world’s foremost jazz vocalist, Kurt Elling  Together they present Syntopicon, a concert exploring life’s philosophies through music.
Kurt Elling is an international star, whose rich baritone voice spans four octaves and features both astonishing technical mastery and emotional depth.  Using his extraordinary skills in vocalese, scat and the spoken word, Kurt warmly communicates with his audience while self-penned lyrics are more than a companion to the melody.  They are words expressed as notes, and notes expressed as words…. and every word counts.
Syntopicon” - a portmanteau, a grab-bag of ideas, or group of topics - is music to embrace and deliver universal ideas through intelligent words, wonderful music and breathtaking song extoling in equal measures the vicissitudes of Love, Life, Joy, Beauty, Knowledge, Language and Courage.
Fresh arrangements specially commissioned by the SNJO will give free reign to Elling’s highly cultivated use of vocalese – the creation of new song based on improvised melody.  From Bernstein’s euphoric and youthful West Side Story to Paul Simon’s mid-west, mid life crisis, American Tune or taking a spin in John Scofield’s Jeep on 35, audiences will love the diversity of material. There’s a place too for the internationalism of Vince Mendoza’s Esperanto; a chance to Go on one of Wayne Shorter’s stellar excursions; and time to enjoy the quietness of still waters in a “boat song” very much closer to home.
The vision is as celebratory as it is revelatory. Some of the most admired works of Mingus, Monk, Ellington, Pastorius and Shorterare on offer having been arranged by some of the foremost jazz arrangers worldwide at present. Geoffrey Keezer, Michael Abene, Bob Mintzer. Tommy Smith and Jim McNeely have all contributed to this great evening of wonderful music, breath-taking song and shared experience – surely to be a jazz highlight of 2014!
 “Elling is the standout male vocalist of our time.”  The New York Times,
“Since the mid-1990s, no singer in jazz has been as daring, dynamic or interesting as Kurt Elling. With his soaring vocal flights, his edgy lyrics and sense of being on a musical mission, he has come to embody the creative spirit in jazz.”  Washington Post,
NB: All Concerts start at 7.30 pm. There is a free pre concert talk with Kurt and Tommy at 6.45pm.

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