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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 ...

April 2025.

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.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.

Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).

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.                         

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