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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

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Darlington Jazz Festival. Sunday Evening Part Two April 27

(Review by Russell (AKA Tolstoy).
The weekend’s finale featured the Al Wood Nine. Multi instrumentalist Al Wood (trumpet, flugelhorn, alto & soprano saxophones) always puts on a good show. Bebop Spoken Here last heard him at the Cluny in Newcastle, for this Darlington engagement the veteran Yorkshireman brought his A-team with him.
 The band: Al Wood, Jim Corry (alto & soprano saxophones), James Russell (alto & baritone saxophones), Stuart MacDonald (tenor and bass saxophones), Sam Thornton (baritone saxophone & vocals), Graham Hearn (piano), Gary Jackson (double bass) & Bob Howard (drums) + Ernie Jackson (percussion)
Benny Carter’s Come On Over opened the first set with Simon Kaylor soloing on tenor and Jim Corry on alto. Corry’s altoist band mate James Russell took a phenomenal solo on Bernie’s Tune. This was going to be some night! Pianist Graham Hearn, heard recently up the road at the Lit and Phil in Newcastle, played beautifully on Rodgers and Hart’s Spring Is Here (Not in Darlington quipped Wood). The multi instrumental talents of the frontline were first demonstrated when Corry switched to soprano on I’m Always Chasing Rainbows. Flight of the Foo Birds featured Wood on alto with sensitive support from pianist Hearn. The set’s closing number will live long in the memory. A big band aficionado had earlier commented that he was pleased to see drummer Bob Howard in the band. Dizzy’s The Champ featured a drum solo to end all drum solos. The frontline cleared the stage as Howard gave an outstanding display. It was the closing number but it was only the end of the first set! 
During the interval one aspiring young drummer was introduced to Mr Howard…they talked drums. Aim for the stars, Howard did and he is up there with the best of them! Nat Adderley’s Work Song opened the second set. Double bassist Gary Jackson - great sound, great technique - grabbed a solo before the altoists (Corry and Russell) traded fours, fast and furious, then faster and ever more furious! Wow! Simon Kaylor featured once more on Stella By Starlight, initially at a slow tempo then up to race speed. It worked. Tenor man Stuart MacDonald (he made Johnny Griffin sound pedestrian) picked up his ton weight bass saxophone - great sound, great technique - to lead the parade on Struttin’ With Some Barbecue (arr. Hearn), Sam Thornton (baritone) followed with his own cast iron sound. A number from Phil Wood’s A Btrazilian Affair concluded matters with solo after solo drawing huge applause. Veteran drummer Ernie Jackson joined the party as guest percussionist. Quite a finale!
The 2014 edition off the Darlington Jazz Festival could only be described as a resounding success. The event is a considerable undertaking and it couldn’t work without the support of many individuals and organisations. Some of those - apologies for those omitted, it is a long list! - include Creative Darlington, Darlington Borough Council, Darlington For Culture, Darlington Jazz Club and the Musicians’ Union. The festival directors - Kirsty Dunn and Shaune Eland - the festival fundraiser (essential!) Kathryn Shaw, Head of Steam staff, staff at the Forum and last but by no means least, the innumerable band of volunteer workers. These are the unsung stars of the event. Many of them are young musicians giving freely of their time. They staff the door, sell raffle tickets, act as stage crew and do the behind the scenes donkey work. See you at the 2015 Darlington Jazz Festival, the Friendly Jazz Festival.          
Russell.

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