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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 ...

April 2025.

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: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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, February 16, 2015

CD review: Ant Law – Zero Sum World

Ant Law (guitar), Michael Chillingworth (alto & soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet), Tom Farmer (double bass), James Maddren (drums) & Ivo Neame (piano)
(Review by Russell)
Ant Law studied physics at Edinburgh University. The ‘Zero Sum Game,’ familiar to those with an understanding of mathematics, was the inspiration for the title of Law’s new CD Zero Sum World. Guitarist Law is a published author – 3rd Millennium Guitar: An Introduction to Perfect 4th Tuning. If all this sounds a bit high brow, well, it is, but don’t be deterred, the music is great!
Ant Law sits down to play. So what? Law isn’t a poseur craving front man status. He plays guitar. He plays guitar as well as anyone you’re likely to hear. Zero Sum World features four friends (three of them from Law’s debut CD Entanglement) who possess talent the equal of the bandleader. All are busy on the contemporary jazz scene, touring and recording a variety of projects, and this new album underscores their togetherness.
Law writes for the unit; on occasion guitar and reeds (Michael Chillingworth) appear to be as one, drummer James Maddren’s musicality and invention elevate him beyond any notion of being employed as a timekeeper, similarly bassist Tom Farmer, a creative force in his own right alongside pianist Ivo Neame.
Prelude and companion piece Waltz are right out of the Jim Hall/Joe Pass book of guitar playing. If Law, Hall and Pass sat together with a beer the conversation would have been ‘out there’. Best to leave them to it! Monument (Ant Law’s homage to fellow guitarist Ben Monder) covers a lot of ground; Neame’s pensive probing, Maddren’s lazily, tight drumming, Chillingworth’s brooding clarinet and a burst of collective free playing. The closing Blues is a melodic, contemporary slow blues featuring Tom Farmer’s alternate tuning solo. Neame takes it on, late-night swing, alto and guitar take it home.
Note for guitar heads/musos – each of the eleven tracks features Law’s guitar tuned in perfect fourths.
Ant Law’s Zero Sum World is released today – February 16 – on Michael Janisch’s Whirlwind Recordings label (catalogue number WR4663). The album was recorded by Troy Miller at Sand House Studios (as was Law’s debut CD Entanglement).
Zero Sum World has an album launch at London’s Soho Pizza Express Jazz Club on 16th and 17th February. For tour dates visit: www.antlaw.co.uk Tyneside readers may wish to know that Ant Law appears with Tim Garland at Sage Gateshead on Monday 4th May.  
Russell           
at

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