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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

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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.

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.

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, February 16, 2014

Budtones @ Salsa Café February 15

Stuart Findon (Tenor);  Fiona Findon (Tenor/Vocals;) Eric Mckenzie-Stutt (Drums);  Dean Stockdale (Piano);  Paul Grainger (D Bass).
(Review/photo by Kath Jobes)
Well I’d heard that Dean Stockdale had joined the Budtones, but was surprised to see Paul Grainger on Bass, apparently their usual bass player, Andy Porritt became a dad today… a daughter Erin, congratulations Andy, and so the ever flexible Mr Grainger  seamlessly stepped into the breach and did what he does best!
Salsa was pretty packed when I arrived, but my table had been reserved, so I was able to settle down with my cranberry and soda to listen to the music… having realised my pen and pad were in my other coat, I resorted to technology and used the memo facility in my phone to make brief notes. 
The set kicked off with The Message by Nick Weldon, with the two horns out front and sounding stupendous.  Speaking of Stu… the guys went on to play Stu’s Blues, with Fi on vocals.  Next came a lively On Green Dolphin Street, and this brought one couple to the floor to dance,  and that gave an additional pleasure to the evening, as they danced on several occasions.  Miles Davis’ All Blues was followed by one of my favourites to sing, Good Morning Heartache… nice one Fi.  The last tune of the set was Lester Leaps In.
After the interval, the band did a quick rendition of Happy Birthday To You for Stefan, who was dining with friends… good choice for a birthday bash…a night of Jazz and Tapas.
A sweet start to the 2nd set with Sugar was followed by a lovely instrumental arrangement of All The Things You Are.  Fi then stepped up to sing a beautiful ballad, Tenderly, before returning to another lovely tune, Pretty Eyes by Horace Silver.  Next came a tune that Fi Findon has put words to, as apparently several bebop tunes have been  given names with ‘ology’ in them, so this one was named, Notology .  The final number of the night was written about a bass player – Paul Chambers, it was of course Mr PC.
Final comments:  A really tight set, eloquent solos from horns, bass and piano, and when the band played 4s it was Eric’s turn to shine!
Kath J.

1 comment :

Unknown said...

Great Kath, good to see you there. It was a highly enjoyable evening for us too, on the other side of the Bandstand. and so good to see Ike and his lovely wife, dancing the night away.
It was a happy day indeed with the arrival of Erin (Porrit), in to the world, keeping Mr Porrit distracted from depping in for our own Bass player, Jim Crinson. Paul and Eric kept the whole set swinging brilliantly, and such a pleasure to play with them.
Thank you Kath for taking the time to write such a great review, see you tomorrow at the Jazz Cafe Jam session

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