Total Pageviews

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

Monday, December 08, 2014

Budtones: Jazz Co-op @ The Globe: December 6

Fiona Finden (tenor sax, vocals); Stu Finden (tenor sax); James ? (Keys); Jim Crinson (bass); Eric Stutt (Drums).
(Review by Ann Alex).
This was a hugely enjoyable gig, which deserved a larger audience, although this venue looks full with just 15 or so people. The only problem was that the band has the alphabet in a different order from the rest of us, or so it seemed.  The order of tunes was alphabetical we were assured, starting at ‘M’ with The Message, but it seemed to go haywire from there! But joking apart, a fine set, adventurously boppy, interesting songs, tight playing and lots of great solos.
Most tunes began with either the melody sung by Fiona or the horns doing a chorus in harmony (one of my favourite sounds); then Stu turning to the keys and bass during his solo, solos from both keys and bass, then horns in harmony again, or a lovely chorus from our singer.  Not forgetting 4’s between Stu and Eric on some tunes, and a welcome drum solo on the second number which was Miles Davis’s All Blues. And the bop feel was enhanced by the circle of light above the band with psychedelic patterns moving through it.
The mood then changed for Autumn Leaves, sung gently by Fiona, with just the right amount of scat at the end, followed by Sonny Rollins’ Doxy; then an original written by Jim Crinson; and God Bless The Child, sung feelingly by Fiona, herself a mother, which maybe you have to be to fully interpret this song.  The first half was rounded off with a bop version of Whispering.
The second set included I Fall In Love Too Easily with some neat call and response between voice and Stu’s sax; a lively, amusing, Sister Sadie (‘never hurried, never worried’); Miles Davis’ So What; Blues For Stu; (Fiona commented that Stu’s isn’t often blue).  Then came a Fiona original which I reluctantly missed as the Metro called me home.
I daresay that Michael Bublé at the Arena last night was ok, but I was glad to be where I was. – Sorry Mike, maybe next time.                                                                                                                               Ann Alex     

1 comment :

Eric mckenzie Stutt said...

Nice comments Ann, Thank you we are playing at Hexham Thursday !.

Blog Archive