Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 2026)

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

19,061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 925 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Oct. 30) 104.

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

From This Moment On

October.

Sat 31: Saltburn Big Band + Durham Alumni Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Sat 31: East Coast Swing Band @ Cramlington Village Club, Park View, Cramlington NE23 6QJ. 7:30pm. £10.00. (from venue).

November

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet w. special guest Donna Hewitt (tenor sax, clarinet)
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Sarah Heneghan Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Tue 03: Alan Law @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 2:00pm. Free. Alan Law (piano) w. guest tba
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: An Evening of Erykah Badu @ Holy GrAle, Durham. 7:30pm. £3.00.; £2.50. A Durham University Jazz Society event.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hejira - Celebrating Joni Mitchell @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Cut Capers @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).
Thu 05: Northern Reaches @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations). Pete Tanton, Joe Steels, Laurence Blackadder, John Hirst.
Thu 05: Fergus McCreadie @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Fri 06: Mike Durham’s International Classic Jazz Party @ Village Hotel, West Allotment. 12 noon. Day 1/3.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Jazz Night: Bridget Metcalfe @ Saltburn House Hotel. From 6:00pm. Tickets: £40.00 (inc. a two-course meal & glass of Prosecco). Tel: 01287 658977.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Lindsay Hannon/Alan Law @ Jazz Café - Macmillan Cancer Care Coffee Afternoon.

Lindsay Hannon (vcl); Alan Law (pno).
(Review by Lance/photo courtesy of Mike Tilley).
A coffee afternoon (to allow late night jazzers time to get out of bed) didn't draw the charitably minded members of the community in the numbers anticipated. Perhaps it should have held with tradition and made it a Coffee Morning thus catching the jazz owls before they went to bed! Whatever, if you missed it it was your, and unfortunately, Macmillan Cancer Care's loss.
A chocolate walnut gateaux that probably contained all of the calories in the world went down a treat as did the duo up front.
Alan Law is perhaps the most underrated pianist in town. No bombastic, flamboyant shows of bravado - just gentle, melodic and sympathetic nuances behind Lindsay and only the occasional ff flourish when soloing.
The material was a mix of standards and more contemporary offerings. Cry Me A River is a much maligned song but, when sung by Julie London or Lindsay Hannon, it is a pearl.
Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis - a Tom Waits gem  that our girl did justice to. - Cole Porter never got within a mile of a lyric like this!
At Long Last Love saw Asbury Park substituted with Saltwell Park, Leazes Park and various other local parks and Billy Bragg's Saturday Girl, a poetic tale of adolescent love, - We'd sit together in double history twice a week - another one to hit the spot.
All this and chocolate walnut gateaux - I need to lie down!
Lance.
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3 comments :

Patti D. said...

Ah yes - sorry I missed this - and these great songs covered! The Tom Waits one is a masterpiece ..... and to think I didn't get a lick of that choco/walnut delight! Most important of course is the whole reason for the gig - raising ££'s for Macmillan Cancer Care. They do amazing work.

Saturday, September 27, 2014 8:52:00 pm
Mike Tilley said...

Just an update we raised 140 pounds for Macmillan, pretty good for a leisurely afternoon.
Mike

Sunday, September 28, 2014 1:04:00 pm
Jen Errington said...

This was a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Lindsay and Alan on top form. I had home made coffee/walnut - it was delicious. Very pleased to hear the amount raised despite such small numbers.
Jen

Sunday, September 28, 2014 6:12:00 pm

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