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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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

Sunday, June 08, 2014

Alex Hutton, Andy Champion & David Carnegie @ The Jazz Café. June 7

(Review by Russell/Photo courtesy of Mike Tilley).
Mid afternoon the heavens opened, threatening to wash away the Newcastle Community Green Festival and local league cricket matches were promptly abandoned. The big gig on the night was at the Jazz Café – rain, rain, go away – and the possibility of a no-show crossed the mind with musicians and audience stranded, awaiting the emergency services to rescue them from rooftops, north, south, east and west.
An hour or so ahead of gig time the rain stopped – from deluge to bone dry in no time. In the Jazz Café an on loan Gretsch drum kit was being assembled (thanks to loanee Mr Eric Stutt). Short-notice dep bass player Andy Champion was on the premises and Edinburgh-based drummer David Carnegie (once of the Parish of Tyneside) would soon arrive. DC walked into the Caff  smiling, unfailingly polite, one hell of a drummer. The trio’s pianist – Alex Hutton – breezed in, renewing acquaintance with DC and meeting up with AC for a first gig together with this line-up.
Hutton had brought some charts of his own compositions and after a quick chat, pointing out this and that, we were ready to go. The first tune – Fox House – featured a solo from Champion. Hutton looked around, a nod of approval, this was going to be something special! Straight into Autumn Fires, the trio nicely warmed-up. Hutton chatted with the audience, sign-posting a church bells effect as a coda to Clouds. Sure enough, bells, They could have been ringing out from St Mary’s Cathedral across the road!
Hutton is a wonderful two-handed player and he appeared to have four hands on Straight No Chaser. Wow! This was good. Champion at full tilt laid down a solo that defied belief (the betting is Hutton couldn’t believe he was working in such company) and Carnegie’s fizzing display (triplets aplenty) had Mr Stutt in raptures. The number had an old school feel to it with shouts of encouragement from the floor, urging the trio to ever greater heights. The applause immense, like another apocalyptic thunderstorm! Hutton said: You liked that one, then!  You bet!
Second set, Fugue No.2, Body and Soul, the same amazingly high standard. Swinging Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner, George Shearing and Alex Hutton. JJ (for Jean Jacques Burnel) replete with fleeting quotes (When the Saints) and to close a memorable occasion Underneath the Apple Trees. Hutton, Champion and Carnegie should do it again, soon.  
Russell.

2 comments :

Lance said...

Did Alex use the house piano?

Unknown said...

Yup ! I will send you a snap. mike

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