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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb blues band.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

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 Afternoon Part One April 27

(Review by Russell (AKA Tolstoy).
Noon in the marquee. The bar open (White Boar Bitter), the Tyne Valley Big Band, all six million of them, on stage ready to go but not before Jazz in My Pants marched in to once more give it a blast. Fantastic. Dave Hignett, the TVBB’s MD, has knocked into shape a cracking band in next to no time. Resplendent in band t-shirts and matching music stands (all six million of them) the orchestra presented a programme ranging from Sweet Georgia Brown to Sway and Mack the Knife (featuring vocalist Barbra Hignett) to Sammy Nestico’s Lonely Street (alto solo from Kelly Rose) to the Pink Panther Theme (hear that triangle!). Our expert triangularist marched New Orleans’ style around the marquee, taking the opportunity on the way to order a pint from the bar at the back of the room without missing a beat! At this point it should be noted that the TVBB enjoys a ‘working relationship’ with the Wylam Brewery but on this occasion it was a case of ‘needs must’. Alistair Lord played the high register stuff in the trumpet section, Andrea DeVere took the big tenor parts and singer Barbra Hignett returned to belt out R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Respect to BH! The TVBB left us with a cookin’ Apple Honey (DeVere solo, rhythm section, ensemble). If anyone had been in a Sunday morning stupour they would certainly have been woken up by the Tyne Valley Big Band.
Festival workers swarmed all over the stage to clear away the big band furniture and set up ready for one of the bands of the moment. The Slowlight Quartet writes and performs original material. Double bassist Ian Paterson’s precise articulation acted as pivot for Tom Quilliams’ towering tenor sax contributions working off the subtle harmonic invention of keyboards man Paul Lorraine. Drummer Jonathan Marriott, a listening drummer, had his ears open to every development, playing the right thing at the right time. The compositions have a discernible Slowlight signature; measured development, unexpected changes, Quilliams’ slow burn, sulphuric attack. The band previewed material from their forthcoming EP including the eponymous In Flight and This Time. An excellent set from the Slowlights, the launch gig is at the Star and Shadow Cinema, Newcastle on May 25.
Russell.

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