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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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free. Concert performance (open to the public)..
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00.

Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.br/> Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

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.

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

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Jazz North East & Splinter @ the Bridge present a ‘Women Make Music’ event; Beatrix Ward-Fernandez Trio + Watching Sideways @ The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle – March 8.


Beatrix Ward-Fernandez (theremin); Derek Saw (flugelhorn, valve trombone, tuba); Charlie Collins (drums, percussion).
Zoë Gilby (voice & electronics).
(Review by Steve H/photos courtesy of Ken Drew)
There used to be a TV series - ‘Who Pays the Ferryman?’ Jazz North East/Splinter seem to have created their own similarly named series - ‘Who plays the Theremin?’ As the old adage goes you wait decades for a jazz Theremin player to come along and then two come along at once. The Beatrix Ward-Fernandez trio arrived hot on the heels of the Splinter appearance of Bluebut at The Bridge last November featuring Theremin player Pamelia Kurstin.  

As the official BSH Theremin reviewer, I can safely say that no two Theremin players are alike. Ward-Fernandez’s playing takes a far more minimalistic approach than Kurstin’s so there were less melodic solos but more punctuated interactions. The dominant force behind the trio was the one man brass band Derek Saw who played tuba, valve trombone and trumpet with considerable aplomb although not necessarily all at the same time. The magnificently bearded Collins on percussion provided a great visual spectacle and seemed to have more tricks up his sleeve than Paul Daniels which is somewhat appropriate because any band which includes a Theremin in its line-up is always going to be somewhat magical.
The event was part of the popular ‘Woman Make Music’ series and the first part of this impressive double bill saw the launch of Zoe Gilby’s ‘Watching Sideways’ project. Zoe performed a set of vocal pieces using a range of electronic effects to produce an incredible virtuoso solo piece of performance art. There were some completely improvised pieces and some based on well known tunes including Don’t Stop me Now and a memorable version of Dolly Parton’s Jolene. The set ended with a piece which contained the repeating lyric Crazy girl in the park, I don’t know if this is autobiographical or not but at its conclusion the packed audience responded with rapturous applause. 
The final part of the evening saw both halves of the double bill unite to perform an exhilarating final collaboration.  Yet another triumph for the Jazz North East’s Women Make Music season.
Steve H.

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