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Bebop Spoken There

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The Things They Say!

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Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Friday, December 12, 2014

The Big Chris Barber Band @ Sage Gateshead. December 11

Chris Barber (trombone & vocals), Bob Hunt (trombone & trumpet), Mike Henry (trumpet & clarinet), Pete Rudeforth (trumpet), Richard Exall (baritone & tenor saxophones, clarinet), Bert Brandsma (tenor & alto saxophones, clarinet),Trevor Whiting (tenor & alto saxophones, clarinet), Joe Farler (guitar & banjo), Jackie Favelle (double bass & electric bass) & Alan ‘Sticky’ Wicket (drums)
(Review by Russell)
A broken down vehicle left the Chris Barber band on the hard-shoulder of the M69 for hours on end. Their Sage Gateshead concert was delayed one hour with a nine o’clock start and a ready agreement to play one long set (ninety minutes) without pause.
Sage Gateshead’s café, bar and brasserie did unexpected extra business and the hiatus was accepted by all as just one of those things. Hall One staged a Motown revue and a glittering fashion parade (the punters) walked on by to the amusement of the hardened jazzers killing time on people watching duty. Hall Two opened its doors in good time – Sage staff were, as ever, courteous in admitting patrons and assisting some in finding a numbered seat. All three levels in the cockpit-theatre space were open (level one, or the ‘stalls’, if you will, well-populated).
Chris Barber walked onto stage alone and offered a rambling, bumbling apology. Good, all was well with the world! His band joined him. Bourbon Street Parade. Great! Thank you Mr Barber. If there had been time for just the one number it would still have been a treat. Thankfully, this was just the start. Ellington played a big part during the evening. The first Ducal instalment – three numbers topped and tailed by Rent Party Blues and Jubilee Stomp – showcased the immaculate ensemble work of Barber’s outfit, with Bob Hunt’s lovingly crafted arrangements a joy to listen to. Barber took the first of several vocals (perhaps an under-rated aspect of his work) on Take My, Hand Precious Lord and Goin’ Home. Clarence Williams’ Wild Cat Blues (Barber recalled the band’s first recording of the tune was way back in 1955) heard Richard Exall’s excellent baritone and the equally proficient Trevor Whiting on tenor. The sections’ contributions were never less than top drawer; trumpets Mike Henry and Pete Rudeforth spot-on (open or muted), similarly the reeds with Dutchman Bert Brandsma particularly impressive on clarinet and ‘Sticky’ Wicket holding it together behind the traps.  
More Ellington – East St Louis Toodle-Oo and Merry Go Round (Barber solo). Black and Tan Fantasy raised the stakes with Bob Hunt doing things on trombone that appeared to be impossible! Plungers were regularly plungered across reeds and brass to great effect. Barber, conscious of the time, mis-read his watch, calling time some thirty minutes too soon. On-stage asides quickly reshuffled the set list. All Blues focused on Exall’s alto, Hunt’s muted horn and Jackie Favelle’s subtle double bass playing (other band members wandering off into the wings). Hot and Bothered and Petite Fleur (inevitably) told us it was just about time to say farewell to the Big Chris Barber Band…until the next time. A rockin’ Rockin’ in Rhythm (a phalanx of frontline plungers) called time…almost. Who wants Ice Cream? Vanilla, sarsaparilla, this was a gig with a cherry on top! See you next time Chris!                          
Russell.

1 comment :

George Watt said...

There is little more to add to Russell's brilliant synopsis of a wonderful evening. It was the first time I had been in this particular hall and it was perfect for the occasion. Chris has not improved his diction over the years and together with my hearing problem I could not make out what he was saying - but it was ever so. However, his musicianship left nothing to be desired although I sometimes thought he was about to lean on his trombone.

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