Total Pageviews

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

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.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

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.

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 02, 2014

Djangologie @ Jazz Café. February 1

Mick Shoulder (contrabasse), Emma Fisk (violon), James Birkett (guitare) & Giles Strong (guitare rythmique)
(Review by M. Russell/Photo by Mlle. Kath J.)
Saturday evening in a little café in Newcastle sur Seine. Friends, couples, lovers engaged in low level, if not intimate, conversation. A bottle of Rivet Catcher (Jarrow sur Seine), the offer of a flower vase politely declined in favour of a ‘traditional’ half glass. Perhaps the hot topic was the result of the day’s 'grand' match at St James’, given the outcome perhaps not. Intermittent downpours dampened the enthusiasm for ‘le punch-up’, drowning of sorrows the priority. Earlier in the day your reviewer could be found in a nameless Tyneside hostelry watching ‘Le Debacle’. The (illegal) overseas television coverage courtesy of Canal Plus, Les Mags’ French Contingent would surely do ‘le business’. Non! 
To ‘le jazz’. Djangologie, the north east of England’s ambassadors of all things Django, set up and tuned up quietly (an indication that there is a good band in the house). Monsieur M.Shoulder arranged for Dinah to arrive right on time. From the first chords struck by guitar masters James Birkett and Giles Strong we were in Hot Club paradise. Douce Ambience, Coquette, was there anything finer? How about Mademoiselle Fisk? Emma, the birthday girl (Jan 31), extended celebrations to include this Jazz Café engagement. The establishment benefitted from the arrival of a large party out on the town celebrating a birthday amongst their number. The atmosphere all the more authentique with the bon viveurs dressed in ‘20s fashions. The gentlemen, suited in spats and hats, the ladies in flapper finery with hairstyles to match! The chatterbox-o-meter reached new heights – cocktails all round – but no matter, the place was buzzing. Djangologie responded with Artillerie Lourdes (one nil to the band). Stompin’ at Decca closed out the set (2-0 to the band). Stupendous playing, tumultuous applause. The quartet took a bow and this just the interval! KJ and friend departed for some Salsa Café jazz just as P and D arrived at a stompin’ good time. Mick Shoulder writes for the band and such is the quality of the writing one could be forgiven for confusing a Django number with a Shoulder composition. Song for Izumi and the baroque waltz Beautiful Till 3 (a tale of unrequited love) maintained the standard in the second set. The Sheik of Araby, taken at whirling dervish tempo, produced near impossible feats of musicianship form the quartet; Shoulder and Strong immense, Fisk and Birkett bagging the eye-catching solos. Bandleader Shoulder announced the final number – Les Yeux Noir – suggesting there could be an encore. More astounding playing. Cries of  ‘Encore! Encore!’. Encore won. Magnifique!          
Russell.                         

No comments :

Blog Archive