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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington (National Trust), Cambo, Morpeth NE61 4AR. 12 noon & 2:00pm. Admission to site £19.00.
Tue 31: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Tue 31: Archie Brown & Friends @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00-8:00pm. Free.

January 2025

Wed 01: ???

Thu 02: ???

Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: John Gregory @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar.

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, March 30, 2015

Nicola Farnon Trio @ Holy Trinity Church Matfen - March 29

Nicola Farnon - Vocal, Double Bass, Piero Tucci - Piano, Tenor Sax, Phil Johnson - Drums, Perc
(Review by Ray Robson).
Being lovers of the acoustics a church provides, we were delighted to see that our local "Highlights" group had continued their great support in taking Jazz to local Northumberland communities & had arranged a mini tour for the Nicola Farnon Trio.....we caught up with them in the lovely surroundings of Holy Trinity Church in Matfen. 
Music amplified in a church can produce sound problems at times, but tonight the settings were excellent, & the full Church was treated to the scintillating sound of Nicola's vocals ....she has a voice that captures your attention from the off ....combining her lead vocals with swinging bass playing & with a personality that warms the audience & draws them in close. Peiro Tucci on keyboards gave unpretentiously classy support, swapping to tenor sax with ease, & at one point playing both at once ! Drummer Phil Johnson pushed the beat along, a very sensitive touch providing a foil to the others.
We opened with Let There be Love then, keeping us in a romantic mood, This Can't be Love then a fabulous Summertime. One of Nicola's own compositions next, again beautiful vocals on Perfect Lovely Day. We were On the Sunny Side of the Street then there was No Moon at All before an upbeat samba number Just You, Just Me took us to the break.
A Cha Cha quick tempo The More I See You then Gershwin's Our Love is Here to Stay was followed by the instrumental Take Five, with Piero excelling on TenorSax. A new one for us next, a haunting Abbey Lincoln number Keep Your Hand Open before Ms Farnon wowed us with the old Peggy Lee hit Fever. Next A Beautiful Friendship then we went all Fred Astaire with Cheek to Cheek. All to soon we'd reached the final number, but the trio left us wishing for more with the excellent Billy Taylor classic "BBC Film Show" theme track of I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free.
We were free to go, but we did not want to leave ....everyone had enjoyed an excellent set from three great musicians & there were smiles all round to keep us warm as we ventured out into the cold. The evenings music was nicely complimented by the night sky & the twinkling stars, a sight we city dwellers sadly see so little of !
Struan at Matfen advises us that Jazz will return there in the Summer months, so its well worth the 20 minutes drive from Newcastle to experience the hospitality & good Jazz that we so enjoyed.
Highlights North take entertainment to rural areas across Northumberland, Durham & Cumbria ....life's not all Jazz ....including the marvelous Bedlington Community Centre ...keep tabs on Whats on at http://www.highlightsnorth.co.uk/whats-on-listings.aspx....& for Bedlington 
Ray

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