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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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

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

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Alter Ego @ The Globe - Dec. 19

Dave Hignett (tpt/flug); Keith Robinson (alt); Niall Armstrong (ten/fl); Andy Hawking (pno); Tony Abell (bs); David Francis (dms).
(Review by Peter Ninnim/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew).
What a night at the Globe!
Visiting the Globe is like struggling through the jungle of the Congo; you fight your way between creepers, avoid dangerous animals, duck low hanging branches and then finally arrive at a clearing in the forest to see sparkling in a shaft of sunlight a priceless jewel! OK, so that’s a bit over the top but the Globe is really a jewel in the Newcastle music field.
Last night the Globe featured a band providing a cornucopia of delights! It was like a beautiful Christmas present, wrapped in silver paper and tied with red ribbons! And when the box was opened out popped Alter Ego!
I count myself fortunate to have been there.
The first set kicked off with Roll Call a perfect up tempo opening closely followed by J. J. Johnson's In walked Horace. The New York Jazz Giants' Beatitudes was next; this is a driving Latin jazz tune and featured Dave Hignett playing his socks off on trumpet . The energetic first set included a fine swinging version of Benny Golson’s Blues March. This overrated number can be boring but certainly not in these hands. Solos from Keith Robinson on Alto and Niall Armstrong on tenor were beautifully crafted and the alternate march and swing sections were well handled by Dave Francis on drums. It’s not possible to mention the entire first set but it ended with Bobby Watson's Wheel Within a Wheel written for the Jazz Messengers.
After a short interval the band was even better; perhaps the fact that the club had filled up with an enthusiastic and vociferous audience had something to do with that. The set opened with an outstanding version of Hit and Run and I see that I have just written “wow!” next to it on the set list. Dave Hignett's trumpet playing was reaching for the stars and with great attack and Niall Armstrong’s tenor playing sparkled. In fact the whole band played like they had stuffed fire crackers down their trousers in the whole of the second set. Andy Hawking on piano featured in a lovely version of Monk’s Budini. I thought that he really did the tune justice. Two of Niall Armstrong’s compositions followed, Undertone featuring Niall himself and Dave Hignett on Flugel , and Mustard Marsh which included fine Bass playing by Tony Abell. Nice to hear an electric bass played with great taste; not always the case. The set concluded with a tune in 3/4 Coastal Breeze. Nice drumming throughout and Niall on Flute and the outstanding alto playing of Keith Robinson. Keith was all over the instrument and at times seemed to have an extra hand there was so much great jazz going on. The encore was another great Bobby Watson piece A Bittadose featuring the whole band in great ensemble playing with this shuffle style hit.
This was a great gig, substantially better than the Clark Tracey performance earlier this year. Compared with that it was a tonic. Best gig I’ve been to since Jazz Machine’s gig at Number 28 in August; and I was playing in that!
One last word. The sound throughout was really well balanced and this makes such a difference. Thank you to the Globe and the Band.
Peter N.

4 comments :

Roly said...

This excellent band played a great gig at Blaydon in April.

Lance said...

Must have been quite a gig as I thought the Clark Tracey band were plenty good!

Ken Drew (on f/b) said...

What a great review !! although I wouldn't go so far to say it was 'substantially better than the Clark Tracey performance earlier this year' - maybe they equalled them in many respects - fine musicians playing tremendously well as One, the overall energy and the impact they had on the audience (and vice-versa). But what a great Gig !!!

Ashington Jazz Club said...

Next gig for Alter Ego

8pm Wednesday 7th January @ Ashington Jazz Club

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