Total Pageviews

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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

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).

Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Jeux de Mots! Djangologie @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. Wednesday February 12.

Mick Shoulder (bass), Emma Fisk (violin), Giles Strong  (guitar) and James Birkett (guitar).
(Review photos by Jerry E.)
It began inauspiciously: had we encountered three witches and a cauldron between car-park and Town Hall, I’d not have been surprised! Even inside, the wind howled and thrummed in the rafters and the curtains behind the stage wafted ominously!
It was a good turn-out though and from the off the audience, having unwrapped more layers than I’ve seen since returning from a visit to Estonia, was rapt – “too rapt” during Dinah, according to Mick! He urged applause and, solo by solo, they “un-rapt” to the extent that he seemed almost to “tut” after one unseemly bout of premature Mick-adulation before he’d finished his solo! “There’s no pleasing him,” said Emma.
But we were pleased by Douce Ambience in which Giles “did something contrapuntal” (it’s legal in Bishop!) and by Feuille d’Automne and Nuages. During the quiet, melancholic coda to this last, the wind made its presence felt as “fifth member” of the band: for the most part, fortunately, the strumming guitars and tapping feet managed to drown it out. Music conquers all?

When introducing the players Mick clarified his rhyming references to Emma as the “ship’s porcupine,” which explanation I will not go into here. I did notice, however, that by the second-half intros she was simply “Miss Emma Fisk”. Simply brilliant on her solos, if you ask me, as indeed were they all at various points in the gig.
Many of the tunes were familiar to me: Hun o Pani Naschella; Songe d’Automne; Artillerie Lourde; Minor Swing and the breakneck Stompin’ at Decca. Later there followed: Sheikh of Araby; Veish a No Drom; Mira Prau (?) and Les Yeux Noirs. As well as these old friends, there were at least two which were entirely new to me: Cigano Bolero and Blues for D.R., both Mick originals and both very welcome additions to what is already a great repertoire. Cigano (= gypsy in Portuguese) Bolero had Giles Strong taking the lead while James Birkett strummed a soft Latin rhythm and Emma Fisk’s violin was softly lyrical. A beautiful tune! Blues for D.R. had a slow opening such as Django might have produced after a sabbatical in the Delta before going up-tempo in another wind-cheating blast.
And, through the soothing encore, Dans mon Endroit Tranquil, the wind was still ironically vocal but we scarcely noticed, rapt still (O.E.D. - 1]completely fascinated 2] filled with an intense and pleasurable emotion).
My friends, guitar-enthusiasts both, bought CD’s before they left – with only a few hints from Mick and the “Big Lad” on the door! It really was that good.
Jerry

No comments :

Blog Archive