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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17755 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 76 of them this year alone and, so far, 1 this month (Feb.1).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 08: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 08: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’.
Sat 08: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra event. All welcome.

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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

Monday, March 24, 2014

A Strictly Combustible Evening. March 23

(Review by Russell)
Big bands are dead, long gone. Oh, yeah? The recent Great North Big Band Jazz Festival in Sunderland would suggest otherwise and behind the scenes here in the north east of England (in clubs, pubs, community halls) year-round rehearsals and workshops go largely unnoticed. A Sunday afternoon at Hoochie Coochie couldn’t possibly attract a large crowd keen to experience the thrill of a big band up close. Oh, yeah? The Pilgrim Street venue in Newcastle was busy. Bottles of Fuller’s London Pride, a cocktail if you prefer, being supped or sipped, ahead of an appearance by the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band. For a review of the gig read LL’s piece. Suffice to say it was every bit as good as he said it was.
Less than one hour later, Splinter’s monthly jam session at the Bridge Hotel would attract a contingent of the SSBB. One hour. Time to kill, Time to dash home and still get to the Bridge on time. Turning into the street – Chez Moi –  the powerful effects of London Pride had kicked in. A car, unattended, ablaze.  Surreal or what? Alert the neighbours, call 999! Several buckets of water contained the blaze until the fire fighters arrived. Sorry chaps, must go, much more important business to attend to, there’s a jam session at the Bridge! A pint of Billy Mill or a pint of Amnesia? Opted for one or the other, can’t remember which, a glance at the tv, El Clasico nicely poised: Real 1 Barca 1.
Ascending the stairs to the unmistakable sound of the Findens on Secret Love (Fiona, vocals, Stuart, tenor), musicians sat around the room, thumbing through the pad, looking for the right chart – it could be their turn next. The Findens were working with familiar faces – Alan Law (piano), John Pope (bass) and drummer Eric Stutt. Note pad and pen forgotten in the earlier emergency determined it would be mental notes (Amnesia permitting), a mere sketch. Make that a list.
Pick your favourites from the following...Peter Gilligan (piano), drummers Jeff Armstrong and Jonathan Marriott, Paul Gowland (tenor), Sarah Travena (soprano), Mark Williams (guitar), vocalists Julie Allan, Debra Milne, Kath Jobes. KJ sang Autumn Leaves a day or so after the first day of spring.
Somewhat befuddling to a London Pride amnesiac! Down in the bar, El Clasico update: Real 3 Barca 2. A pint of something or other, a swift ascent of the stairs so as not to miss a second of what was to come and as occasionally happens one of those  ‘I was there’ moments. SSBB vocalist Lindsay Hannon put on her coat, about to go off into the night, when, glass in hand, she was called to the stage. Hannon encouraged SSBB tenor player Jamie Toms to join her. Our vocalist sang as never before; saloon bar ease, from major to minor, from the heart, heartbreak, joy. Magnificent! Perhaps not gig of the year but without doubt, three months into the year, a highlight of 2014. Apologies to any performer not mentioned – the absence of a note pad and the amnesiac effects of a couple of halves were entirely responsible for, for…something or other. Footnote: Messi did it again (a hat trick) – FT Real 3 Barca 4.             
Russell.                          

1 comment :

JC said...

Russell, I knew you could multiple-task but you have become the Roland Kirk of reviewers. Two jazz gigs back to back involving cast of thousands, live tasting of ales (both real and imaginary), running commentary on El Classico and a little voluntary fire fighting on the
side -amazing! I must remember to try a pint of Amnesia.
JC

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