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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Gypsies of Bohemia @ Jazz Café - October 11

Matthew Whitaker (vcl/rhythm gtr.); Jim Wallace (ld gtr/vcl); Frank Grime (bs/vcl); Sam Draper (dms/vcl); Andy Stamatakis-Brown (keys/melodica/vcl).
(Review by Lance/photo by Mike Tilley.)
The gig was sold out. If the scalpers had known they'd have made a killing! As it was the 60 or so aficionados with the savvy to buy in advance were privileged to witness a truly stunning performance.
In many ways, Hot Club has become today's Trad - recreating the sounds of Paris and Old Orleans with the verve and enthusiasm the original revivalists gave to the jazz of New Orleans.
Nowadays, there are so many bands across the world building upon the format set down by Django et Stephane. Remember WASO? they were something and of course our own north east based Djangologie est aussi un trés formidable ensemble. However, the Gypsies of Bohemia have added another dimension to the genre.  The use of keyboards and drums and a repertoire of contemporary pop songs takes it away from the chugology of typical Hot Club fare to a swingier sound.
Earlier this year the hirsute quintet from Manchester  played a sell-out gig at The Caff and that, along with an academic pedigree at Newcastle College, ensured they had a large and, it has to be said, a boisterous following!
This was both a good and a bad thing. The ambience created by the noise was akin to the bonhomie emulating from a café in Monmartré on New Year's Eve.
The downside was that Whitaker's vocals and Wallace's announcements weren't always as audible as I'd have liked.
That aside, it was a cracking night full of excitement and virtuosity. The material ranged from standards such as Tea For Two to a version of Wuthering Heights that even Kate Bush never contemplated let alone Emily Bronté or Heathcliff!
Tainted Love was another contemporary classic that had the room upstanding and Americano complete with vocal had us totally transported as did Hot in Herre - it certainly was!
When I left for zee Metro they were still stomping away!
CD review to follow...
Lance.

2 comments :

Life in Geordieland said...

Glad the gypos had a good gig, I was gutted to discover it was sold out but I had the pleasure of attending their last gig at the Jazz Cafe and catching both their sets at Kendal Calling! Hope they return to Newcastle again soon!!
Rachel
www.lifeingeordieland.com

Patti D. said...

It was a smoking hot gig - the crowd was all but hanging from the ceiling ..... reworked jazz classics, ace solos and wonderful playing - but brilliant contemporary hits like Tainted Love, Ain't Nobody and Seven Nation Armies - these guys know how to get that groove going.

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