Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

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

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

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

From This Moment On

August

Thu 13: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 13: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 13: 58 Jazz Collective @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Stranton, Hartlepool. 8:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! Back on Aug. 27.
Thu 13: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: John Settle Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00. John Settle (vibes); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 14: Bold Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £8.00 + bf.

Sat 15: Tees Bay Swing Band @ Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 15: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £16.26.

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Jazz Café Jam Session - April 15

Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms) + Stuart Finden (ten); Fiona Finden (vcl); Ray Truscott (bs); Ian Forbes (dms); Josh Bentham (alt); Paul Skerritt (vcl); Paul Gowland (ten); Kath Jobes (vcl); Belinda Voshtina (vcl).
(Review by Lance/Photo of Fiona and Stuart Finden courtesy of Mike Tilley.)
The trio got things off to a good start with Horace Silver's St. Vitus Dance - a prequel to Sunday's Silver tribute session at the Bridge by Gilligan and co - book your seat now! I Fall in Love Too Easily, Alice in Wonderland and My Romance, taken at a most unromantic tempo, set the scene for the jammers waiting in the wings.
Stu Finden gave Hank Mobley's This I Dig of You a good "Work Out". Stu doesn't just play the instrument he gesticulates with it too - bell pointing at the ceiling or at the floor or at the next soloist. Bye Bye Blackbird kept the momentum going before Mrs Finden - Fiona - sang Secret Love and In a Sentimental Mood. The saxes and the singers were out in force tonight and next up was a relative newcomer, Josh Bentham. Josh, a young Teessider, blew alto on Doxy. Blowing a vintage King alto he managed to overcome the saxophonist's nightmare of a squeaky reed and impressed. The first time I heard Stan Getz at Newcastle City Hall with JATP he too squeaked throughout his set before going on to become one of the world's great sax players so keep an eye out for young Josh.
Josh stayed on stage for a couple of numbers by singer Paul Skerritt - Sway and Witchcraft. Paul is the star attraction at the Cherry Tree this coming Easter Monday so I suggest you book your table now.
More saxophone magic this time from Paul Gowland with Ray Truscott on six string bass guitar. Numbers included a Latin number the title of which I missed but Gowland was on fire, I'll Remember April with scintillating brush work from Wight, soon to be replaced by Ian Forbes, and Have You Met Miss Jones? This could have been sub-titled Have You Met Ms Jobes? Yes, the occasional BSH reviewer Kath Jobes sang Imagination which seemed to go down well with the cognoscenti.
More vocals, this time from Belinda Voshtina who sang Jobim's Agua de Beber - my favourite bossa. Belinda can be heard with Burundanga who are on at Hoochie on Good Friday. Just about a foretaste of everything tonight!
I'm sure there were more gems to onfold but Metro and 88 bus awaited...
Lance. 

No comments :

Blog Archive