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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

17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Mississippi MacDonald @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. Blues.
Sat 22: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham. 7:45pm. £16.50. SOLD OUT!
Sat 22: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mark Williams Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 23: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Mu Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 23: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: ?

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.

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

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Julie Sassoon (solo piano) + Travelers @ Jazz Café November 25.

Antonin Tri-Hoang (reeds); Francesco Diodati (guitar); Matteo Bortone (bass); Ariel Tessier (drums)
(Review by Steve H.)
This superb JNE/Schmazz double bill was served on two levels both literally and metaphorically. The night began on the ground floor. Berlin based Julie Sassoon performed a superb solo piano recital. It is hard to categorise her music -  is it jazz or is it improvised contemporary classical? But, frankly, who cares? it is simply spellbinding. Sassoon, after apologising to the audience for playing with her back to them, opened with an untitled piece which was something that just happened to take her mood at the time. This was followed by 44  at the conclusion of which Sassoon turned to the audience and explained the context of the next piece Land of Shadows.  
Six years ago, on her previous and inaugural visit to Tyneside, Sassoon played a solo gig at the Cluny. During this gig, whilst actually playing, Sassoon  had an epiphany about what direction her music should be taking. The focus of the work was to be her German Jewish roots (her great grandparents were murdered in Auschwitz by the Nazis)  and in 2009 she moved to Berlin to pursue this project. The piece, not surprisingly, was sombre, deep and dark convincingly conveying the horrors of that time. The set concluded with the upbeat New Lives taken from the same named 2006 album. This had the feel of an uplifting church organ recital. Sassoon’s playing is unique, her physical relationship with the piano fascinating to observe. The constantly changing rhythms and timbres of her playing are invigorating and the augmentation of the piano with vocal accompaniments add a spiritual dimension to the performance.
After a well deserved encore the audience made their way  upstairs..
The Travelers are a Euro Combo: Italian Diodati and Bortone on guitar and bass respectively heading from Rome to hook up in Paris with Frenchmen Tri-Hoang and Tessier on reeds and drums.  It took a while to get into this gig probably because I was still overwhelmed from the earlier downstairs performance. It was clear though from the first two numbers Locked Room and Sunday Supermarket that this was a very talented band. By the time the third number Just Played had completed I was completely won over by this tight blend of 21st Century jazz rock fusion. Diodati was particularly inventive with all the electronic wizardry at his disposal.
A  glorious ballad Olvidar  featuring Tri-Hoang on clarinet set up the rest of the evening perfectly. A Led Zeppelin tributeHouses of the Holy was followed by No Land Highspot. By the time the finale, Beraska, was played the whole room was buzzing. What I particularly liked about this band was that rather than each member taking formulaic stage-managed solos on a rotational basis the solos were integrated into the ensembles overall performance so that the groove remained unbroken.
A delighted and  fulfilled audience departed the Jazz Café and I am sure I could hear shouts of Bravo, Formidable and  Wunderbar echoing down Pink Lane.
Steve H.

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