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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

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Thu 16: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

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.

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

Wednesday, June 04, 2014

Jazz Café Jam June 3.

Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms); Mark Williams (gtr) + Josh Bentham (alt); Paul Skerritt (vcl); Paul Gowland, Stuart Finden, (tenors); Fiona Finden (ten/vcl); Simon Stephenson (gtr)...
(Review by Lance).
Alice in Wonderland was an appropriate opener. I don't know if there were any Alices in the room but, if there were, they would indeed think they had stumbled into a parallel universe that was totally oblivious to the other Pink Lane activities. Gilligan, Grainger, Wight and Williams were sending out the message - come in and hear the truth. At this stage, not many had. Perhaps, like the aforementioned four, they'd gone to Scarborough Fair. This dreary olde English folk tune is not an immediately obvious choice but, in the hands of these guys, it morphed into a near jazz standard. Make Someone Happy? The whole room was happy as the sitters in stood at the bar or sat in the wings awaiting the call.
First sacrificial lamb to be offered up was altoist Josh Bentham. Young, very young, cool looking dude. Georgia on my Mind has well and truly stood the test of time since Hoagy wrote it in 1930 and Bentham's version didn't do it any harm. Nat Adderley's Work Song found the alto player in a more adventurous mood throwing in a few high register forays. Keep an eye out for this young man.
The third of four Pauls, Paul Skerritt, took control of the mic for Orange Coloured Sky and My Funny Valentine, the former a bouncy swinger, the latter  beginning softly then building up to a big finale before subsiding back to pianissimo. Crooning at its best. 
More Paul, Gowland this time, and an awesome I'll Remember April. Big solos all round and blistering fours 'twixt Williams, Wight and Gowland. In a Sentimental Mood brought the first set to a close.
The word must have spread or else one of those bus trips that bar owners prayer for had arrived as, suddenly, the room was crowded!
The second set had more tenor madness, this time from Stuart Finden who paid homage to Hank Mobley with This I Dig of You (?). Mrs Finden sang Stanley Turrentine's Sugar (not to be confused with the Peggy Lee classic) and picked up her tenor for Sister Sadie as Simon Stephenson plugged himself into the Fender Twin (or whatever guitar amp it was). Gilligan, incidentally, played Korg keyboard the house upright being terminally ill.
Enter John Rowland for All the Things You Are and There Will Never be Another You. Now the tenors were three.
Finally, from my point of view, Paul Gowland played You'd be so Nice to Come Home to which sent me on my way to the refurbished Central Station (Grand Central Station?) for Metro/88 bus coordinated journey home.
Well worth the trip.
Lance.

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