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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

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. 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

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Jazz Café Jam Session - January 20.

Peter Gilligan (pno); Bradley Johnston (gtr); Paul Wight (dms); John Pope (bs) + Paul Gowland (alt); Matthew MacKellar (dms); Jordan Alfonso (alt); Alexis Cairns (ten).
(Review by Lance/photos courtesy of Mike Tilley.)
The  jams at the "Caff" on the first and third Tuesdays continue to draw more and more people in. That they, the punters, are noisy and not necessarily all jazz fans doesn't matter - as long as they aren't too intrusive on the music. I'm not one for listening to jazz in sepulchral silence - if the music is good enough those who want to will  be down front listening oblivious to the noise behind. My theory is that if the audience is sitting in deathly silence the musicians play safe, aware that every bum note will be seized upon and never forgotten till the listener or the player go to their respective graves.
On the other hand, if the crowd is of a rumbustious nature then the guys go for it without fear and maybe hit on something they wouldn't otherwise have tried for.
That's just my opinion.
Tonight we had the house band hitting the deck running with bop standards, ballads like I Fall in Love Too Easily and a belter of There Will Never Be Another You.
Young MacKellar took his place behind the kit and, amazingly, looked very much like a younger version of Miles Teller in Whiplash!
Paul Gowland blew an extended solo on Take 5 and Matthew knew the Morello solo well.
Waiting in the wings were Jordan and Alexis.
Stella by Starlight - that perennial jammer - gave Alexis a chance to blow which she did with the sort of dry sound Warne Marsh favoured. A welcome addition to the scene. Some alto from Jordan on Goodbye Pork Pie Hat and a blast by Paul Gowland on Autumn in New York. This rounded it off for me although there was still more to come - an excellent jam.
Lance.

2 comments :

Johnny "Blue Hat" (on F/b) said...

Yep you're bang on...I always prefer a slight bustle from the audience to play a good gig. Deadly silence is scary!

Patti D (on F/b) said...

Sounds like a brilliant night, Lance! I should've got my backside in gear .....

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