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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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

17957 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 278 of them this year alone and, so far, 34 this month (April 14).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, May 05, 2014

Jeff Barnhart @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club May 3.

Jeff Barnhart (piano), Anne Barnhart (flute & vocals), John Hallam (ten/bar sax & clarinet), Nick Ward (drums)
(Review / photo by Ray)
Rather than stay at home & fret away our day worrying about the fate of the local football teams, we packed up our troubles & headed south for our monthly "jazz fix" with our friends at St Augustine's.
Entertainment was never likely to be in short supply with Mr Barnhart in town ....his musical knowledge & anecdotes together with his rather zany humour will always brighten your day - then there's that scintillating "stride" style which has you yearning for more...
"Support" today came threefold ...Mrs Barnhart (Anne) providing vocals & the magical notes of the flute; Monsieur Hallam as ever oozing class on reeds; & last but not least Nick Ward showing that classic jazz drumming brings an extra edge to the music we love so.
A swing number to start As Long as I Live led us to In the Middle of a Kiss before the pace upped with Mr Fine & Mr Dandy. Anne then serenaded us with Exactly Like You & Lady be Good with flute too.
The flute has for us been a fairly recent Jazz discovery ....apart from Anne only Amy Roberts (she of Chris Barber Band fame now but thankfully still a regular Jazz at the Spa visitor) has brought the flute to our Jazz world, yet it fits well, & gives a pleasant alternative sound.
I digress ...Just In Time, Irving Berlin's classic Blue Skies then the beautiful ballad A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square saw John at his best on sax. Time for a couple of stride solo's from Jeff ...Jelly Roll  Morton's Some Sweet Day & Pretty Baby before the Benny Goodman hit Stealing Apples took us to the break.
A Cakewalk rag started the second set, a blues in Oh my Babe before Gershwin's  S'Wonderful, then        
Dream a little Dream of me; Love me or Leave me; Burgundy Street Blues; I've got a Feeling I'm Falling.
Jeff reminded us that It don't mean a Thing if it ain't got that Swing before I got Rhythm closed the day to loud applause.
Personally I thought there were a few to many vocal numbers, with three such fine musicians my preference was to be able to appreciate their talents fully. However the audience seemed very happy - who am I to argue or quibble ?
A good crowd of 70+ today, Darlington's numbers are picking up nicely & little wonder with the calibre of musicians they bring to us - next up is Swing City on 5th July, a fine trio.

Ray R.

1 comment :

Patti (on F/b) said...

It was a great gig, indeed!

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