Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

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

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 15: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Quartet + guest Paul Donnelly (guitar).

Fri 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Darlington Big Band @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 16: Leeds City Stompers @ Billy Bootleggers, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

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, June 23, 2014

The Allsorts Band @ The Bridge Hotel. June 22

Russ Henderson (tenor saxophone & flute), Oli Cadman (keyboards), Jim Faulkner (guitar), Peter Gavin (electric bass) & Katie Patterson (drums)
(Review by Russell).
Katie Patterson’s Allsorts Band made a return visit to Splinter @ the Bridge some fifteen months on from a promising first appearance (between times the band played another gig at Hoochie Coochie). In the meantime, Patterson has recruited Jim Faulkner to play guitar and don an apron. Yes, the desperate Faulkner agreed to wear the band outfit of patterned kitchen aprons. Only kidding Jim! You’re sure to have plenty of offers of a gig. So, apron donned, would Faulkner peel the spuds to Chef Patterson’s exacting standards?
Patterson – Jazz Yorkshire’s Young Musician of the Year 2012 – leads a band, hustles for gigs, organises itineraries, devises menus, writes some tunes and plays the music. Putting something on the back burner doesn’t come in to it for Patterson; boiling pans on hobs, a new tune simmering in the mind, finely graded ingredients presented for your delectation.
Tenor saxophonist Russ Henderson opened on flute, switched to tenor and worked unison lines with spuds man Faulkner. A couple of tunes first heard last year remained in the pad (a Bob Marley number and a Patterson original Early Morning View From Above), one of Brian Blade’s compositions featured (drummer’s prerogative, Katie!) and a brace of tunes written by guitarists. Spuds man Faulkner dried his hands, picked up his Gibson 335 and served up a sizzling version of Pat Martino’s Mac Tough (check out Pat Martino’s Live at Yoshi’s). For dessert another helping of Pat – Mr Pat Metheny. Make no mistake about it, Faulkner can play – no more doghouse duties for him!
Amiable keyboards man Oli Cadman threw in some dark, twisted harmonic ingredients, five-string bassist Peter Gavin repeatedly hit a groove and Patterson counted them in on some devilishly complex time signatures. High quality ingredients from a high quality band. The next time Katie Patterson’s Allsorts are on the menu make sure you book your table in advance.          
Russell.                     

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Thanks Russell, we had a splendid time :)
-Katie
www.theallsortsband.com

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