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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

17904 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 225 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (March 24).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

Fri 28: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00 SOLD OUT!.
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm.
Fri 28: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 28: Mostly Moonlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 28: Juliana Day & Manon McCoy @ Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00.; £10.00. advance. JNE.

Sat 29: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 29: Doris Day Story @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Sat 29: Squabble! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 30: Jan Spencelayh & Dave Archbold @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 30: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 30: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 30: Jamil Sheriff Trio w. Nadim Teimoori @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, July 16, 2014

Schmazz @ The Jazz Café - Troyka/Pulcinella

Troyka: Kit Downes (keyboards); Chris Montague (guitar); Josh Blackmore (drums)
Pulcinella: Ferdinand Doumerc (reeds); Florian Demonsant (accordion); Jean-Marc Serpin (double bass); Frédéric Cavallin (drums). 
(Review by Steve H.)
A packed to the rafters Jazz Café last night witnessed a mesmerising double bill from British trio Troyka and French quartet Pulchinella in a Schmazz/ Match and Fuse collaboration. Forget the Tour De France this was the Tour de Force.
The first set was led out by Troyka featuring  returning Geordie guitar hero Chris Montague. .
Montague explained that  since childhood  he has suffered  from  Ornitholobia (fear of birds) after an unfortunate encounter  with  a dead seagull on a beach . It was this fear that inspired several  of the tunes performed. The  band really hit a groove moving through all the gears with their high energy rocky, bluesy , electroniky brand of jazz. Kit Downes on keys  and Josh Blackmore on drums blended seamlessly with Montague on guitar and loops.  The set finished to rapturous applause and I was left wondering how the next band could possibly be anything other than an anti-climax?
How wrong I was the French band Pulcinella on paper have little in common with Troyka  but they soon proved to be their equals in terms of ability to both surprise and entertain . What followed was a joy as the musical styles of Jazz, folk, tango (to name but 3) were all fused together  in unique combinations with marvellous playing from all 4 musicians soaring sax solos from Doumerc, lyrical accordion playing  by Demonsant,  bass playing accompanied by some strange gurning dancing from Serpin . Not to be outshone drummer Cavallin injected  glockenspiel and  swanee whistle additions to the mix. The music ebbed and flowed it was like being  taken for a  breath taking trip on a Wurlitzer (sic).  At the end of the set the crowd rose to applaud the Gallic warriors .  C’est magnifique indeed..
But if that was not enough a septet was formed to conclude the night’s proceedings as both bands joined together to perform a Montague piece Oliver Reed  dedicated to one of the last great hell raisers.
As the enthralled audience filtered out of the building they were accompanied rather inappropriately by Weather Report’s  Birdbland (sic)  on the PA a pertinent reminder maybe  of just how far Jazz has moved on .    
Steve H.

1 comment :

Lance said...

Dead Seagulls? You're right Steve, jazz has certainly moved "on"!

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