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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

17680 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 23 of them this year alone and, so far,23 this month (Jan. 9).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.

Sat 11: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 11: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 12: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 12: King Bees @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.
Sun 12: Dave Bottomley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.
Sun 12: Jack Pearce Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 13: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 13: Raymond MacDonald & Andy Champion @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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 07, 2014

GIJF Day Three - Polar Bear.

Seb Rochford’s Polar Bear had a lot to live up to after Shiver's performance!
The quintet, a study in cool, meandered onto stage stepping over miles of cables and plugged in. Wired to Leafcutter John’s multi lap-topped set-up, the tenor horns of Mark Lockheart and Pete Wareham bagged the majority of the solo statements, the hirsute (cool hillbilly style) bassist Tom Herbert impressed and his solos contributions received much applause. 
Drummer Rochford, positioned at the back of the stage under the first floor overhang of the cockpit theatre, spoke engagingly, although typical of the gentle soul that is Seb Rochford, he spoke ever so quietly. A percussive style all his own, ‘leftfield’ being the shorthand description (drum heads are welcome to offer their expertise by way of posting a comment), the Newcastle College alumnus knew what he was doing and drove the band from the traps. Leafcutter cut up and processed the quintet’s sound, horns and all, via two or three laptops, one of which in particular occupied LJ, spending time solving a LED rubic cube or so it seemed. Full-on is what you get from Polar Bear, the audience lapped it up, demanded an encore, got one then emerged blinking into the afternoon sunlight to hang around the bar to take time out and come down from an exhilarating high.
Russell.          

1 comment :

Sonny Intervals (on F/b) said...

It was a great set from Polar Bear. Saw Bill Frisell later that night, his set was amazing. Great venue too...

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