Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sat 17: Teresa Watson Band @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sat 17: The Society Quartet @ Hilton Garden Inn, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Tel: 0191 500 9494. £26.00 (inc. two course meal). Line-up: Jason Holcomb, Hannah Taylor, Alix Shepherd & Abbie Finn.
Sat 17: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 17: Archie Brown & the Young Bucks @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues, Americana etc.
Sat 17: Bellavana @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30-10:00pm. Free. A Late Shows event.
Sat 17: Rockin’ Turner Brothers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Rockabilly, Western swing etc.

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

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, April 28, 2014

Darlington Jazz Festival. Saturday Evening April 26

(Review by Russell)
A pint of White Boar Bitter (the Forum’s house beer), a chance to check-out guitarist Tom Stephenson’s set in the bar, a bit crack, then back to the hall for the main event of the evening.
Darlington Jazz Festival can be proud to have secured the services of world class trombonist Mark Nightingale. A virtuoso musician, his concert performance exceeded the highest of expectations and throughout his stay the British born star made himself readily available to all, no airs and graces, down to earth, approachable, happy to sign a CD cover, have a chat and sit-in at the late night jam session. In concert (the hall standing room only) Nightingale worked with the magnificent Durham Alumni Big Band.
The ensemble is comprised of the finest musicians tutored through Durham Music Service. Some have gone on to make a career in music, others have taken a different path. The common denominator uniting/reuniting them being excellence in music. The trombone section listened in awe as Nightingale played trombone that most can only dream of doing. Cole Porter’s All of You (arr, Allan Ganley) and Ellington’s In My Solitude (arr. Duncan Lamont) illustrated Nightingale’s appreciation of the talents of arranger and composer. The band’s finest stepped up to the mark. Matt Roberts, Johnny Dunn (trumpet and flugelhorn), Alex Baker (tenor saxophone). There Will Never Be Another You, It Can Happen to You and from the NYJO pad The Perfumed Garden. Dunn reprised his Great North Big Band Jazz Festival award-winning performance on the latter number. The rhythm section worked tirelessly - none finer than Ellie Ratcliffe (piano), Robbie Chapman-Thong (guitar), Amy Baker (bass) and drummer Stephen Fletcher. Nightingale paid tribute to north east born musician, the late Steve Gray (BBC Big Band) highlighting his skills as an arranger with an up-tempo take on A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square. Benny Golson’s Whisper Not featured fabulous trombone and ensemble playing, similarly Cole Porter’s The Song Is You (arr. Allan Ganley). Tumultuous applause. For an encore - Nica’s Dream. A memorable occasion.
Late night in the bar began with one of the region’s finest pianists playing solo for the best part of an hour. Alan Law entertained the attentive listener, others deep in conversation having exited the adjacent hall (Mark Nightingale and the Durham Alumni Big Band). The amiable Law played chorus upon chorus, improvising to his heart’s content on any number of tunes that took his fancy including Nature Boy, Our Love Is Here to Stay and There Will Never Be Another You. Late, late night, Law invited sitters-in to join him and a fantastic jam session ensued. The big hitters - including Matt Roberts, Alex Baker, Johnny Dunn, Chris Hibbard (trombone) and the man himself Mark Nightingale – blew the roof off.            
Russell.                           

No comments :

Blog Archive