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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sun 09: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 09: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Forum, Billingham. 3:00pm.
Sun 09: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 09: Tom Remon & Mark Williams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 09: Rod Oughton’s Tomorrow’s New Quartet with Ben van Helder @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Deschanel Gordon.
Sun 09: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 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

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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