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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

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Mike Walker & Stuart McCallum // Paul Taylor @ The Jazz Café. June 24

(Review by Russell).
The latest in Jazz North East’s series of  Schmazz gigs at the Jazz Café featured British guitarists Mike Walker and Stuart McCallum. All seats in the upstairs room were taken (two of the north east’s finest six-stringers bagged prime seats) and the stage resembled the guitar section of your local musical instrument store. The Greater Manchester-based duo settled down to play the first of two mainly acoustic sets in a setting Walker later described as having ‘a good vibe’.
The material consisted of original compositions (a Schmazz prerequisite) and one or two standards. The opening number had an Americana feel to it, so it came as no surprise to learn it was Bill Frisell’s Where Do We Go? Walker, a man with an impressive cv – the big bands of Mike Gibbs and Kenny Wheeler, stints with Julian Arguelles and Nikki Iles, to his latest Anglo American project, the Impossible Gentlemen – shuffled a set list at will, suggesting to McCallum they do ‘Orpheus’. A change of guitar, some retuning, a bit of banter and into Luiz Bonfá’s Black Orpheus. This and the following number – All the Things You Are – exemplified Stuart McCallum’s penchant for reharmonizing tunes. Dark tones, dense improvisations, Walker picking up on McCallum’s initial foray, further solo invention, the seamless dovetailing of ideas.
A Walker composition – Wallenda’s Last Stand – inspired by the life story of a high wire walker’s final, fatal, do or die journey and McCallum’s The French Song illustrated their talents as tunesmiths. The second set heard McCallum’s Beholden and Walker’s Clock Maker. Walker introduced the latter number with a hilarious, true tale of his friend saxophonist Iain Dixon’s father’s clock making obsession. Imagine a house full of clocks – He made one every four minutes, said Walker – all primed to chime on the hour. It was Walker’s mission in life when visiting Dixon Snr to leave before the cacophonous clock chorus struck up! A distinct folk strand ran through the second set, notably McCallum’s tune inspired by a visit to the Shetlands and his authentic folk ballad Seasons. The one time student of Walker has gone on to work in a variety of contexts including a plum job with John Surman, tenure with the hip Cinematic Orchestra and work with Tim Garland’s Northern Underground Orchestra (including an appearance at the Durham Miners’ Gala a few years ago). This Schmazz gig was one for students of the guitar rather than one for the jazz guitar purist.
Earlier, pianist Paul Taylor played a solo set in the downstairs bar. The Tyneside-based Taylor developed ideas from an impressionist palette, quietly applying complementary hues to an uncluttered canvas. The audience listened intently, some seemingly holding a breath, such was the silence during a half hour improvisation.
Next month’s Schmazz concert at the Jazz Café departs from the usual last Tuesday in the month date. The double bill of Troyka and Pulcinella can be heard on Tuesday 15 July.
      
Russell.

3 comments :

Bradley Johnston (on F/b) said...

Great gig, very inspiring gig Mike!

stevebfc said...

Thoroughly enjoyable gig left the jazz cafe buzzing. Great tunes, great repartee, great music, great night.

Zoe Gilby (On Twitter). said...

An amazing night.

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