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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

Monday, April 07, 2014

GIJF: Day Three: Youth Jazz Afternoon: Stretch Trio; Jambone with Rick Taylor

Stretch Trio: Calvin Travers (guitar) Simon ? (drums), ? (tenor sax, Ewi). (Andy French? Tom Higham?)
(Review by Ann Alex/Photo from band's F/b page)).
Sorry about the names I didn’t catch, but this whole concert was an absolute joy, with free tickets as well, and I would willingly have paid.  Stretch Trio, from Yorkshire, were handpicked by ‘Jazz North Introduces’ which gives young Northern jazz artists their first high profile performance. The trio were straight in with sax leading, a pleasing ethereal sound, then riffs and chops, a fresh modern approach to jazz, sax and guitar duetting, alternating, music speeding up towards the end of the piece.  
Next came Solstice, a tune with a more spaced out feel, using some sort of looped electronics, but as appropriate.  The Ewi made an appearance, the Electronic Wind Instrument, to give it its full title. This looks like a shiny melodica and sounds as you’d expect from the title. It reflected the coloured stage lights as it was played, so looked attractive as well.  Next, something a bit more traditional, a standard start with a drum solo, and references to the song Softly As In A Morning Sunrise.  The set ended with Hectic Metric, a full throttled sound and lots of chock, chock sounds from percussion.  There were murmurs of appreciation from the audience, so I think we’ll be hearing more of this young band.
Jambone; The Time Machine: led by Rick Taylor (trombone)
We were prepared for the high standards that we’ve come to expect from Jambone, Sage Gateshead’s youth jazz ensemble, but I for one wasn’t prepared for the hilarious presentation methods of Rick Taylor, a local jazz musician who has been away from the area for some time.  The Time Machine is the result of a long workshop that Rick did with the band, which is based on key jazz and swing composers and arrangers.  He explained, with down to earth honesty, that the workshop was long so they’d cut down the performance to the minimum, then proceeded to vigorously conduct  what sounded, for all the world, like a chaotic drunken version of New Orleans jazz.  Then we were straight into danceable swing, led by Rick’s wonderful trombone, encouraging the many soloists in the band, saxes, trumpet, drums.  The piece was in sections to illustrate trends, such as West Coast Style with a skilled baritone sax solo, then a lively mid 50’s tune counterbalanced by smooth tones.  The third movement illustrated Duke Ellington, with a very deliberately piercing muted trumpet, which Rick assured us was authentic for the time.  Stan Kenton entered the scene, then more West Coast with a chance for guitar and piano to solo.  The final piece (sorry can’t remember the influence) reminded me of the soundtrack to many a 1950’s cowboy film. I imagine the band must have had good fun during the workshop, with much encouragement to give of their best, which they did in this performance.
Ann Alex

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