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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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, September 03, 2014

Jazz Café Jam Tuesday September 2.











Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Paul Wight (dms) + Paul Gowland (alt); Johnny Davis (ten); Bradley Johnston (gtr); Jen Errington (vcl); Ian Forbes (dms); Ray Truscott (bs gtr); Oliver ? (dms); ? (bass).
(Review/colour photo by Lance. B&W photo by Mike Tilley).
Re-opened after the summer recess, "The Caff" was buzzing tonight. The air of expectancy high and the ultimate delivery even higher.
The house trio got off the mark with a set that included pieces by Horace Silver, Hampton Hawes and Bud Powell along with standards such as Autumn in New York and Beautiful Love. No one does this material better than Gilligan and co.
Paul Gowland, his alto underslung, excelled on A Night in Tunisia that moved along only slightly slower than the speed of light and certainly contained an element of surprise! More relaxing was My One and Only Love featuring a laid back solo from Grainger.
Truscott brought his six string bass guitar to the party, Johnson added a further six strings, Davis gave it some colour with his trademark blue hat and black lacquered tenor and le tout ensemble played I Wish I Knew How it Feels to be Free. They know now!
Days of Wine and Roses saw sanity restored. Ian Forbes took his place behind the re-arranged kit (Wight blows southpaw) and Bradley played a sensitive version of How Insensitive.
The tall and tanned Jen Errington, arrived on the back of a week in France under the tutelage of Anita Wardell and, judging by September in the Rain and Speak Low, it had obviously paid off.
Two more sitters in. Oliver, a student of Paul Wight's, played drums and a young bass player whose name I did get but have since forgotten. This is no reflection on the young man's playing (both he and Oliver were excellent) but more due to the intake of Geordie Jazz (4.3%) that brought on a short term memory lapse.
Lance.

1 comment :

Unknown said...

Hi Lance! Nice blog. Really enjoyed that jam, first time I've been down since it was revitalised. My mate on the bass was Sam Flynn! (And my surname is Reavell. Paul recorded our rock band in his home studio back when we were doing our Gcses heh, great to catch up with him again!
All the best,
Oliver

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