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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

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: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. CANCELLED!
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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

Tue 25: ?

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

MARCH 2025

Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ 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 - Shiver

(Review by Russell).
Sunday afternoon, Hall Two, standing room only three floors up. Clearly some had heard of Polar Bear and some had heard of Shiver. Local heroes Shiver with guest vocalists are Geordie Heroes (drummer Joost Hendrickx awarded Honourary Geordie status). Home grown, the trio – Chris Sharkey (guitar), Andy Champion (electric bass) and Hendrickx – recently took their music on the road and this Gatehsead International Jazz Festival appearance held extra appeal with guest vocalists Zoe Gilby and John Turrell invited to join them on stage.
The trio kicked-off in fine style taking no prisoners with a searing Hammerhead Blues. Chris Sharkey spoke of the tune’s genesis: proud of his Geordie roots, acknowledging the region’s largely lost heavy industrial base – coal, steel, shipbuilding – hence Hammerhead. This was meat and drink to bassist Andy Champion, locking onto steam hammer riffs, the accumulated dust of long gone industries blown away in a sustained attack with Hendrickx. Sharkey, restless on fret board and stage, developed ideas at lightening speed, then a change of direction, then another, pedal board pressed into action. The lean left hander (powder blue Strat) moved this way then that returning to the pedal board to signal ‘diversion ahead’.
Champion had his share of the electronic hardware (Hendrickx’s kit similarly wired) and put the boot in with some staggering bass playing. The Mayfair Ballroom in Newcastle fell victim to ‘progress’, demolished some years ago to make way for an all under one roof ‘experience’ of chain restaurants, pubs and multiplex cinema. Sharkey lamented its loss – from the foxtrot dance band era to the days of pretty boy/ugly (delete as appropriate) heavy metal bands. So, we got Quickstep. It was quick alright, Shiver style! What next? Sharkey introduced the afternoon’s guest vocalists. The pre-gig assumption was we would hear two vocalists and indeed we did. Make that four vocalists (more of that later!). The principal guests – Zoe Gilby (her late dad Mike once a formidable member of the trumpet section at the Mayfair back in the old days) and John Turrell – strode out casual, confident. Any sane person would be terrified! How on earth would they be heard on this gig?
Heard they were, sections written to accommodate the voice, other sections full on power trio and vocals! Tyneside has a history of collaborative projects. Many moons ago before Sting became a global megastar he worked on a ‘rock opera’, for want of a better term. Here at Sage Gateshead Chris Sharkey premiered something of a ‘stadium power metal-scored operatic opus’. John Turrell’s soulful voice an inspired choice for this project, Zoe Gilby explored new territory with an astonishing, brave performance, the screaming rock goddess! An intense Gilby – Hendrickx vocal/drums feature heard Gilby utterly uninhibited, urged on by Hendrickx. Quite remarkable. So, it can be said Shiver came up with something different! The four vocalists? Turrell and Gilby and…Sharkey and Champion. Well, well, well! Backing vocals but nevertheless vocals. Whatever next?!
Russell.

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