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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

Saturday, February 08, 2014

Jamil Sheriff Trio with Josh Kemp @ The Lit & Phil. February 6

Jamil Sheriff (piano), Pete Turner (double bass), Dave Walsh (drums) + Josh Kemp (tenor and alto saxophones) + Archie
(Review by Russell/Photos by Ken Drew.)
Jazz North East’s first promotion since their marathon fundraiser drew a decent crowd. Presented in association with the Lit and Phil, pianist Jamil Sheriff and Dave Walsh (drums) drove up from Leeds and bassist Pete Turner, with Archie in tow, made the journey across the Pennines from the north west. Sheriff has recently been writing reams of material and some of it got a work out during this Newcastle engagement.
Trio Piece No.1 set the tone; a swinging piano trio composition, all three musicians into a groove from the off. Applause woke Archie from his slumbers. Our four-legged friend leapt to his feet, tail wagging as he ran around the room  Master Turner commanded he return to his dog basket and good as gold did just that receiving a pat on the back on the way.
A blues undercurrent is omnipresent in Sheriff’s two handed style and Bluish brought it to the surface. The pianist’s academic colleague, Les Chisnall, inspired an as yet untitled ballad. It required the trio’s total concentration as they negotiated the complexities of the charts before them.
Crazy Happy, incorporated multiple changes in tempi, ostensibly determined by the ever-impressive Dave Walsh. All three musicians appeared to be all too aware of where they were going (excellent solo from Turner), no matter, it worked a treat! To close the first set Sheriff introduced a new name to Tyneside – Josh Kemp. Suited and booted, the amiable tenor man blew impressively; big sound, warm tone, secure technique. Loud applause greeted Kemp’s extended opening solo. The Lit and Phil crowd clearly liked what they heard. What would the second set bring? During the interval Kemp’s CD sold to more than one punter sufficiently impressed on hearing one number.
The second set heard some alto, indeed much alto, ranging from near smooth jazz excursions to convincing statements (Kemp’s true voice?) on numbers such as So Long, Dave. Kemp returned to the tenor (briefly deploying Roland Kirk’s two horns party piece) and the quartet swung out to the delight of an impressed Lit and Phil audience. Jamil Sheriff thanked all concerned for arranging the gig and providing hospitality on the night. He added his name to a growing list of pianists in praising the Lit and Phil’s fine piano and the good acoustic of the Loftus Room. Archie and co are welcome to return any time.    
Ken Drew Photos.                          
Russell.

1 comment :

Pete said...

Thank for the review. I had a great time and so did Archie! Hopefully see you again soon.

Pete

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