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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

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session. TBC.

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: ???

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, July 07, 2014

Les Oiseaux Fois @ Bridge Hotel. July 6

Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Jeff Armstrong (dms).
(Review by Lance/Photo  courtesy of Ken Drew)
After watching the spills and thrills of Le Tour making its way from York to Sheffield what better way to spend an evening than listening to the above three musicians who kept the Francophilian theme alive by sailing under Le nom de plume of Les Oiseaux Fois.
Tres bien! Maillot Jaune et chapeaux!
This was indeed a podium-worthy performance by a trio who should have been playing to a capacity audience. However, c'est la (jazz) vie.
Those of us who made the effort were well satisfied with the first rate musicianship served up by. le tout ensemble.
Fats Waller, legend has it, remarked that "God is in the house" when Art Tatum entered some smoky dive in New York. He may not have used the same analogy had it been Pete Gilligan, possibly referring to him instead as "The Devil Incarnate". And a devil he is at the keyboard attacking it like a man possessed - possessed of an incredible talent that is.
Appropriately, the opening number was a Gilligan original - Incarnation. Paul Grainger, soloed impressively on the Song is You with Jeff Armstrong bossa novaring on brushes. Coltrane's Like Some had a spiky cymbal intro from Jeff whilst Jim Hall's Waltz New featured a rhapsodic lead-in from Pete. Some Brubeck, an excellent Swim (composed by Paul) and the always a winner, Nica's Dream brought the set to a close.
The whole world and his dog should have been here for this one but there were big happenings over at Blaydon, Festivities in the Vale of Ouseburn and the Northern Monkey Brass Band had been launching CDs at Hoochie so I guess the jazz population were somewhat stretched today.
In the second set I caught Chick Corea's Amanda's Rumba, Petrucciani's  September Satin and the 27 bus.
A great day all round.
Lance.
PS: I'm told the the second set also brought in a nice arrangement of Blue Rondo à la Turk (Dave Brubeck, although I [my informant] was seeing Keith Emerson in The Nice!) and ended with a lovely arrangement and rendition of Caravan – so it ended on a high !!!  

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